Monday, July 23, 2007

Gabrielson PRs Where Webb ARs

In the same Brasschaat, Belgium athletics meeting where Alan Webb broke Steve Scott's longstanding American Record in the mile, Team USA Minnesota's Matt Gabrielson established a new 5000 meter PR for himself, running 13:30.68.

Gabrielson (pictured, racing at the USA Cross Country Championships last February) finished 6th in the race which was won by Ethiopian Daba Bekana in 13:06.52.

Results of the meet can be found HERE; video of Gabrielson's race is HERE, via Flotrack.

"I have been waiting for three years for a personal best in the 5000," Gabrielson said in a Team USA Minnesota media release. "It has been a little bit of a rough road on the track for me but the lesson learned is to just keep plugging away."

You can watch Gabrielson say those words in the Flotrack post-race interview HERE.

Teammate Andrew Carlson, who fell in the previous race of the Team USA Minnesota contingent's European tour, finished 16th in the race in a season-best 13:44.99. Stillwater alum Luke Watson with 19th in 13:52.81.

Team USA Minnesota's Jenelle Deatherage, running in the 1500 meters, ran a season-best 4:11.36 for 5th.

"It was nice to see Matt get a PR as well as the "A" standard for the Olympic Trials," Team USA Minnesota coach Dennis Barker said. "Andrew and Jenelle are also coming around. This is the kind of trip we were hoping for when these three athletes went to Europe this month."

According to the Team USA Minnesota release, Gabrielson and Carlson will conclude their European tour in the 5000 meters at the KBC Night of Athletics meet in Heusden, Belgium, on July 28. Gabrieslon suggested in his Brasschaat post-race interview, however, that he hopes to run 1500 at the meet.

Deatherage's schedule is also in flux, but may include an 800 meter race in Liege, Belgium, on July 25 and the 1500 in Heusden.

DtB's Matt Gabrielson File ...

World Cross Country: The Aftermath -- March 26, 2007

From Snowy New York to Sticky Mombasa -- March 21, 2007


Photo by Sean Hartnett.

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