McGregor to Run World 10,000 Tomorrow

Team USA Minnesota's Katie McGregor will kick off competition for the five athletes with Minnesota connections competing at the IAAF World Track and Field Championships in Berlin which open tomorrow.

McGregor competes in Saturday's women's 10,000 meter final.

McGregor, the third place finisher at the USA Championships in the event, will make her third appearance in the World Championships. In 2005, the University of Michigan grad finished 14th in the Worlds 10,000m, running a PR 31:21.20. In 2007, she finished 13th.

McGregor will step onto the hallowed Berlin Olympic Stadium track after two recent sub-par performances over 5000m. In mid-July, McGregor ran 15:52.90 for 8th place at the London Grand Prix. A week later in the Stockholm Grand Prix 5000m she was 10th in 16:11.08.

McGregor is joined on the USA squad for the event by Amy Yoder Begley and Shalane Flanagan.

Also Competing in Berlin ... Minnesota distance runners will bookend the Berlin championships. After McGregor's opening day race, a week will pass until teammate Matt Gabrielson competes in the marathon on August 22, the meet's closing weekend.

One day later, on the closing day of the competition, Duluth native Kara Goucher will race in the women's marathon.

Two international athletes who represented the University of Minnesota are also scheduled to compete. World javelin record-holder Barbora Špotáková of the Czech Republic will throw in the prelims of her event on Sunday.

Former Gopher sprinter Tahesia Harrigan, who represents the British Virgin Islands, opens 100m prelim competition this Sunday as well.

Follow the meet, HERE, via the IAAF web-site.