COLUMBIA, South Carolina1996 5000 meter Olympian Amy Rudolph, in a final tune-up before the upcoming national and world cross-country 4km championships, successfully defended her USA 8km road title at the Carolina 8K on Saturday, February 6.
Like last year, Rudolph, 25, from Kane, Pennsylvania, led from the start and at the two-mile mark on the flat three-loop course, took control of the race as she began to pull away from field including nine-time national and three-time world cross-country champion Lynn Jennings. The 1994 NCAA 1500 meter champion ran unchallenged to the tape (25:50) with Jennings, the 1992 10,000 meter bronze medalist, twenty seconds back. Blake Phillips finished third in 26:12
With her victory at the first 1999 USA Running Circuit event, Rudolph who felt "really smooth" picked up 15 points to sit atop the Women’s USARC standings. The Women’s USARC, an eight race series, offers over $175,000 in prize money plus a $12,500 grand prix purse ($6000, $4000 and $2500). All Women’s USARC events are USA Championships. Last year, Shelly Steely won the USARC Grand Prix title.
Per race, the first ten U.S. runners earn Circuit points (15 for first, 12 for second, 10 for third, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1). The next Women’s and Men’s USARC race will be the Gate River Run 15km on March 6 in Jacksonville, Florida.
Carolina 8km: USA Championship Columbia, SC, Saturday, February 6, 1999
1) Amy Rudolph, 25, Kane, PA 25:50 $4400
2) Lynn Jennings, 38, Newmarket, NH 26:10 $2500
3) Blake Phillips, 23, Winston-Salem, NC 26:12 $2000
4) Joan Nesbit, 37, Chapel Hill, NC 26:40 $1500
5) Kristin Schwartz, 27, CO Springs, CO 26:46 $1000
6) Kim Pawelek, 25, Jacksonville, FL 26:53 $700
7) Lynn DeNinno, 37, Winchester, MA 26:56 $600
8) Jody Hawkins, 32, Blooming Grove, TX 27:02 $500
9) Misti Demko, 31, Hershey, PA 27:08 $400
10) Christine McNamara, 33, Boulder, CO 27:26 $300
Report supplied by:
Ryan Lamppa
USATF Road Running Information Center
www.usaldr.org
