April 30, 2001
Stanford, Ca - A star-studded field of 10,000 meter runners worthy of a final in the Olympics or the World Championships will be on display on Friday when Stanford hosts the Cardinal Invitational at Cobb Track & Angell Field.
The 10,000 meters is billed as an event to run the "fastest 10,000 meters on American soil ever."
The top six American 10,000 meter runners will be competing, Meb Keflezighi, Adbi Abdirahman (Olympic 10,000 meter finalist), Alan Culpepper (Olympic 10,000 meter runner), former Stanford All-American and 2000 Olympian Brad Hauser, Shawn Found and Nick Rogers (5,000 meter Olympian).
Also add to the American list Bob Kennedy, the American record holder at 5,000 meters, who will tackle the 10,000 meters for the first time since his debut at this distance two years ago.
It was on the Stanford track in 1999 that he ran 27:38.7 in his first and only attempt at the distance, and his return to the 6.2 mile race has been highly anticipated ever since.
If that field wasn't talented enough, a host of world-class Kenyan distance runners, who are training at Stanford, are entered as well, including Luke Kipkosgei, Ben Maiyo and Abraham Chebii. Kipkosgei has run 27:22.54. Kipkosgei has also run 5,000 meters in 12:56.50.
Also look for top performances from Ireland's national record holder Mark Carroll, Canadian record holder Jeff Schielber, and Japan's Toshin Takaoka, who finished sixth at the Olympics. Takaoka has run 27:40.44.
The American record is 27:20.56 set by Mark Nenow in 1986.
In addition, there will be other high-powered events including the 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters. The list includes one of America's up-and-coming stars, Bryan Berryhill, former Stanford All-American Jason Lunn, and Bernard Lagat of Kenya, the bronze medal winner in the 1,500 meters at the Sydney Olympics.
Others to watch include Olympian Shayne Culpepper in the women's 800 meters, and Sean Kaley, the Canadian Olympian in the men's 5,000 meters.
Friday's meet is one of four high-powered meets at Cobb Track & Angell Field this year. On May 5, Stanford hosts California in the 107th running of The Big Meet. On May 13, Olympic and top international competitors will return to Stanford for the Cardinal Qualifier, and on June 9, the U.S. Track & Field Open will return to Stanford, which already features five-time Olympic medalist Marion Jones.
A brief look at several of the top Americans in the 10,000 meter field at Cardinal Invitational
Adbi Abdirahman - Placed tenth for the United States in the 10,000 meters at the 2000 Olympics ... A 2000 USA team member at the World Cross Country Championships ... Two-time Pac-10 champion from Arizona.
Alan Culpepper - Runnerup in the 10,000 meters at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials ... Member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team ... The 1999 U.S. 10,000 meter national champion ... Placed second in the 5,000 meters at the 1998 U.S. Nationals ... The 1996 NCAA outdoor 5,000 champion from Colorado ... Two-time world team member ... The 1999 U.S. 12k cross country champion.
Shawn Found - Finished fourth at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials in the 5,000 meters .. Second in the 5,000 meters at 1994 NCAA Indoor's ... Member of the 1997 U.S. Cross Country Team, Graduate of Colorado.
Brad Hauser - A 14-time All-American from Stanford, A five-time NCAA champion ... A member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic team ... Has won more track & field individual titles than anyone in school history.
Meb Keflezighi - Four-time NCAA champion from UCLA ... 2000 Olympic Trials 10,000 meter champion ... 12th in the 10,000 meters at the Sydney Olympics ... 2000 USA World Cross Country team member.
Bob Kennedy - Two-time U.S. Olympian ... Finished sixth in the 5,000 meters at the 1996 Olympics ... Finished sixth in the 5,000 meters at the 1997 World Championships ... Three-time U.S. outdoor 5,000 meter champion ... Four-time NCAA champion from Indiana.
Nick Rogers - Third at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials at 5,000 meters ... 2000 U.S. Olympian ... 2000 U.S. World Cross Country Team member ... Graduate of Oregon in 1997.
Cardinal Invitational
Running Events
6:15pm Men's 110m Hurdles
6:20pm Women's 100m Hurdles
6:30pm Women's 100m
6:35pm Men's 100m
6:45pm Women's 400m
6:50pm Men's 400m
7:00pm Women's 3000m Steeplechase
7:15pm Men's 3000m Steeplechase (Non-Championship Section)
7:30pm Men's 3000m Steeplechase (Championship Section)
7:45pm Women's 800m
7:55pm Men's 800m
8:05pm Men's 5000m (Non-Championship Section)
8:25pm Women's 5000m
8:45pm Men's 5000m (Championship Section)
9:05pm Women's 1500m
9:15pm Men's 10,000m (Championship Section)
9:45pm Men's 1500m
10:05pm Men's 10,000m (Non-Championship Section)
10:35pm Women's 10,000m
Field Events
4:00pm Men's Hammer
5:00pm Women's Hammer
5:00pm Men's Pole Vault
5:30pm Women's Discus
5:30pm Men's Shot Put
6:30pm Men's High Jump
6:30pm Women's Shot Put
6:30pm Men's Discus
6:30pm Women's Pole Vault