BOSTON — The disappointment of their last Olympic marathon trials turned into delight for Deena Kastor, Magdalena Lewy Boulet and Blake Russell.
Kastor won the U.S. Olympic marathon trials Sunday, earning a berth in the Beijing Games by erasing a gap of almost two minutes to pass Lewy Boulet in the last 3 miles. It will be the second Olympic marathon and third Olympics for Kastor, who ran the 10,000 meters in Sydney.
“I accomplished two major goals: first, to make the team and, secondly, to win,” said Kastor, who won the bronze medal in Athens despite fading in the U.S. trials and finishing second. “It’s an absolute honor that this is my third Olympic team.
“It feels just as sweet the third time around.”
This time, the former Alamosa resident will be joined on the American marathon team by two runners who just missed out four years ago.
Russell finished fourth in the 2004 trials, missing a spot on the Olympic team by 35 seconds, and Lewy Boulet was also on the outside, in fifth.
“After the disaster in 2004, we knew we had to develop a game plan to get where I am now,” Russell said. “My goal was top three, by an inch or a mile. If I was third, that was as good as being first. I just didn’t want to be fourth — again.”
Kastor, who made her move with about 10 miles to go, finished in 2 hours, 29 minutes, 35 seconds to earn a $50,000 prize and the chance for a $10,000 bonus if she lines up in Beijing.
Lewy Boulet was 44 seconds back; Russell was 2:21 behind her, but an all-important 1:13 ahead of first alternate Zoila Gomez of Alamosa. Tera Moody of Boulder finished fifth, 1:14 behind Russell.
Ryan Hall, former University of Colorado standout Dathan Ritzenhein and Brian Sell earned spots on the men’s team with their top-three finishes in the New York trials in November.
Joan Benoit Samuelson, who at 50 said this would be her last competitive race, finished in 2:49:08 to set an American record for the 50-54 age group. The two-time Boston winner won the inaugural Olympic women’s marathon — the only U.S. medal in the event until Kastor took the bronze in Athens.
“It’s been a great run,” Samuelson said before turning to Kastor. “I’m handing the torch off to her now, and she can run with it. And I’m sure she will.”
