Anderson, Leer Advance to 1500-meter Finals

Will Leer leads his 1500m heat.
(Photo by Becky Miller.)

Team USA Minnesota's Gabriele Anderson and Minnetonka High School alumnus Will Leer advanced to Sunday's Olympic Trials 1500-meter finals on Friday night in Eugene, Oregon.

UPDATE: Anderson was disqualified, but a protest against that disqualification has been filed. More when decision is final.

Anderson, a Perham High School and University of Minnesota grad, was the runner-up in the second of two women's heats, clocking 4:10.08, behind Shannon Rowbury who ran 4:09.96.

Team USA Minnesota teammate Heather Kampf finished a non-advancing 10th in 4:14.03 in the same heat.

Leer, who represents Nike, won the first men's semifinal in 3:51.27.  He turned the final 400-meter of the race in a whopping 51.99.

In the second men's semi-final, Winona native Garrett Heath finished a non-advancing 9th in 3:42.95.

Find 1500-metrer semi-final results HERE (women) and HERE (men).

Gabriele Anderson in the 1500m mix.
(Photo by Becky Miller.) 

Women's Steeplechase ... In the womn's 3000-meter steeplechase, the only Friday night final with a Minnesota athlete competing, Jamie Cheever finished 12th in 9:56.51



Find those results HERE.