The 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials is Saturday, January 14, in Houston,Texas. The top three finishers will be heading to London in August as members of the U.S. Olympic Team. Here’s a look at the top five men:
UPDATE: Check here for the results of the men's race.
Ryan Hall
With the fastest qualifying time, Ryan Hall is definitely the pre-race favorite. The only competitor to run below 2:05 in the marathon, Hall’s speed, experience, and consistency over the distance should make this a race for second and third place.
Not only did Hall win the 2008 Trials, he dominated the field by more than two minutes. Hall may have pulled out of the 2010 Chicago Marathon due to fatigue, but he came back self-coached and even stronger, running 2:04:58 at the 2011 Boston Marathon. By setting a fast early pace he helped pave the way for Geoffrey Mutai to set a course record in Boston.
Meb Keflezighi
Meb Keflezighi won the silver medal at the 2004 Olympics, and was the 2009 ING New York City Marathon champ, but there’s no question he had a rough early 2011. He wasn’t invited to be a part of the elite field at the Boston Marathon, and then he was dumped by his longtime sponsor Nike.
But Keflezighi never gave up. In August he picked up a shoe contract with Skechers and in October he won the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Jose Half Marathon. At 36, he’s one of the oldest in the field, but he hasn’t slowed down. Last November Meb ran the ING New York City Marathon in a personal best 2:09:13. He may not have had much time to recover from New York, but Keflezighi has bounced back quickly in the past.
Dathan Ritzenhein
Dathan Rizenhein has been plagued with injuries over the last couple of years, but when he’s healthy he’s a beast. He was second to Hall at the 2008 Trials, and went on to place higher than Hall at the Beijing Olympics.
Since joining coach Alberto Salazar in 2009, Ritz has run a 60-minute half marathon, 27:22 in the 10,000 and under 13 minutes in the 5,000. He’s the third fastest qualifier in the field with a 2:10 personal best. If he has a good day, he’ll definitely push Hall for the top spot.
Mo Trafeh
Mo Trafeh has attempted two other marathons, but didn't finish either. He's unproven at the distance, but he's the third fastest half marathoner in the field with a 1:00:39 personal best. He won the 2011 USATF Half Marathon Championships, beating Hall with a strong finishing kick. Trafeh is definitely the dark horse and has the speed to keep up with both Hall and Ritz if the race goes out fast.
Brett Gotcher
Brett Gotcher is the fourth fastest qualifier with the 2:10:36 he ran in Houston at his marathon debut in 2010. Gotcher has had a few disappointments since then, finishing the 2011 Houston Marathon in 2:19, and dropping out before the start of the 2011 Boston Marathon due to a hip injury. He’s healthy now and could squeeze into the top three if everything goes his way on race day.
Others to watch: Jason Hartmann, qualifying time 2:11:06; Nick Arciniaga, qualifying time 2:11:30; Jason Lehmkuhle, qualifying time 2:12:34.
Check here for a look at the top 5 women at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.
Comments