by Larry Eder
In a tactical battle between Jenn Rhines and Kara Goucher over 5,000 meters, Jenn Rhines pushed the pace over the last 2 kilometers, with Kara Goucher taking off with 500 meters to go, running a fine 15:20.94. Jenn Rhines was second in 15.26, and the surprise in third…..
Photo by PhotoRun.net.
Clipping along at a 3:04-06 per kilometer pace, Jenn Rhines dropped the hammer with three laps to go, with a very smooth 69 second lap. By then, it was Rhines and Goucher, running for the title and a titanic battle for third between Ilini’s Angela Bizzari, NYAC’s Jullie Culley and NB Bostons Rebecca Donahue.
With six hundred to go, the pace was 70 second pace, and Kara Goucher, who had already declared for the Berlin WC marathon, took off with five hundred meters to go. Running a 64.9 last lap, Kara Goucher won the 5,000 meter title in 15:20.94. Jenn Rhines, one of our most prolific racers as well, took second in 15:26.92.
Now the real battle began, as third and fourth become even more important. Angele Bizzari caught Julley Culley and won by the smallest of margins, 15:33.02 to Culley’s 15:33.92. Rebecca Donahue was fifth in 15:36.09. Bizzari and Culley may try and chase the 15:30 mark to make the Berlin standards.
After the race, a very relaxed Kara Goucher told us that she was focused on the marathon in Berlin, and that she would not race either the track events. ” I love to race, and I can not think of anything else that I would want to do right now. I told my sports psychologist that I am very happy training and racing right now.” That is quite evident.
With speed like this, Kara Goucher should do quite well in the marathon in Berlin.
We wish her the very best.
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Women 5000 Meter Run
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2 alleys; 1 turn stagger
World: W 14:11.15 6/6/2008 Tirunesh Dibaba, ETH
American: A 14:44.80 4/14/2007 Shalane Flanagan, Nike
Hayward: S 14:38.73 2008 Mesaret Defar, Ethiopia
Name Year Team Finals
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Finals
1 Kara Goucher Nike 15:20.94
2 Jennifer Rhines adidas 15:26.92
3 Angela Bizzarri Illinois 15:33.02
4 Julie Culley N Y A C 15:33.92
5 Rebecca Donaghue New Balance Boston 15:36.09
6 Racheal Marchand unattached 15:37.08
7 Nicole Blood Oregon 15:38.61
8 Allison Grace ZAP Fitness 15:47.31
9 Renee Metivier Baille Nike 15:47.70
10 Amy Hastings adidas 15:52.37
11 Sara Slattery Nike 15:54.76
12 Elizabeth Maloy unattached 15:56.91
13 Emily Brown New Balance 16:07.84
14 Amanda LoPiccolo Syracuse Charger 16:12.42
15 Lauren Weaver unattached 16:28.11
16 Meghan Armstrong Team USA Min/Str 16:42.76
17 Jessica Minty ZAP Fitness 16:52.96
18 Sara Hall Asics 16:54.94
— Carrie Tollefson adidas DNF
— Maureen McCandless New Balance DNF
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