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TRACK & FIELD: Pan Am Games Day 5 Preview
by Todd Bell - U.S. Olympic Committee ()
DAY 5 – AUGUST 9
U.S. TRACK & FIELD PREVIEW FOR 2003 PAN AMERICAN GAMES
6 a.m. - Women’s Marathon
U.S. Entries: Stacie Alboucrek, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Kelly Flathers,
Huntington Beach, Fla.
This event was held for the first time at the 1987 Pan American Games
and the United States has earned three medals including their lone gold
medal from Maria Trujillo in 1995.
Stacie Albourcek, 36, was fourth (2:41.30) in the 2003 USA Marathon Championships
in St. Louis, Mo. She ran a personal best of 2:39.49 to win a marathon
in Virginia Beach, Va., March 15.
Kelly Flathers, 32, was third in the 2003 USA Marathon Championships,
duplicating her time she posted in the 2002 USA Marathon Championships
when she finished seventh.
6:20 a.m. - Men’s Marathon
U.S. Entries: Chris Banks, Alexandria, Va.; Jeff Campbell, Rochester,
Mich.
Frank Shorter was the last American to win the marathon, earning the
gold in 1971. He would go on to win the gold medal at the 1972 Olympics.
The United States has earned just one medal at the last six Pan American
Games and that was a silver by Mark Coogan in 1995.
Jeff Campbell, 31, was fourth in the 2003 USA Marathon Championships
in a personal best 2:16.26. Banks was eighth in the 2003 USA Marathon
Championships in 2:18.52.
5:30 p.m. - Men’s Triple Jump
U.S. Entries: Aarik Wilson, Fallon, Nev.; Allen Simms, Greenbelt, Md.
Aarik Wilson, who will be a senior at Indiana, was fourth (54-7 1/2w)
at the 2003 USA Outdoor Championships. He won the 2003 Big 10 Conference
indoor and outdoor titles in 2003. He set a personal best of 54-9 at
the Florida Relays March 29.
Wilson was ranked eighth in the U.S. in 2002 after finishing second in
the NCAA Outdoor Championships and fourth in the NCAA Indoor Championships
while winning the Big 10 Conference outdoor meet.
Allen Simms, who will be a senior at Southern California, was third (55-5 ½)
in the 2003 NCAA Outdoor Championships and fourth (53-9 1/4w) at the
2003 USA Outdoor Championships. He owns a personal best of 56-3 in the
USC-UCLA dual meet April 26.
The United States captured a silver medal in this event in 1999 in Winnipeg
and last captured the gold (Michael Conley) in 1987 in Indianapolis.
5:45 p.m. – Women’s Pole Vault
U.S. Entries: Mel Mueller, Simi Valley, Calif.; Kellie Suttle, Jonesboro,
Ark.
2000 Olympians Kellie Suttle and Mel Mueller tied for fourth (14-3 ¼)
at the 2003 USA Outdoor Championships.
Mueller, who was ranked third in the U.S. last year, enters the Pan American
Games on a hot streak, having captured titles in her last three meets.
She had a season best of 15-1 in Atascadero, Calif., July 9. That mark
ranks second on the U.S. list this year.
Suttle, who competed in a Super Grand Prix meet in Stockholm, Sweden,
Tuesday, was second (13-11 ¼) at the 1999 Pan American Games.
She owns a season best of 15-0 ¼ in Poznan, Poland June 29.
Suttle was fourth in the 2003 World Indoor Championships and finished
11th in the 2000 Olympics.
6:15 p.m. – Women’s 100 Hurdles Final
U.S. Entries: Michelle Perry, Palmdale, Calif.
Michelle Perry was eighth (13.26) at the 2003 USA Outdoor Championships
after recording a personal-best time of 12.90 in the semifinal round
at the USA Championships.
The U.S. last medaled in this event in Havana in 1991 (bronze). The last
gold medal for the Americans came in Indianapolis in 1987 when Lavonna
Martin set a Pan Am Games record with a time of 12.81. This event was
not contested in 1999.
6:30 p.m.: Men’s High Jump Final
U.S. Entries: Jamie Nieto, Chula Vista, Calif.; Terrance Woods, Abilene,
Texas
The United States has won this event seven times, including the first
six Pan American Games. But the last American to win a gold medal was
Franklin Jacobs in 1979 when he soared 7-5 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
James Nieto won the 2003 USA Outdoor Championships in a season best 7-6 ½.
He has been busy competing in Europe all summer, having tied for fourth
in a Super Grand Prix meet in Stockholm, Sweden, Tuesday. He was ranked
fifth in the U.S. last year.
Terrance Woods set a personal best (7-5 ¼) en route to a third-place
finish at the 2003 USA Outdoor Championships. He was ranked ninth in
the U.S. last year. A versatile performer at Abilene Christian, Woods
won the high jump at the 1999 NCAA Division II Outdoor meet and the 2002
NCAA Division II Indoor meet. He also won the triple jump at the 1999
and 2002 NCAA Division II indoor meets.
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