Anderson 4th in Olympic Trials 1500-meters

Gabriele Anderson racing in Eugene..
(Photo by Becky Miller.) 

Gabriele Anderson’s wild Olympic Trials ride ended with a 4th-place finish in Sunday evening’s women’s 1500-meter final.

The Perham High School and University of Minnesota alumnus who was forced to weather a tense disqualification controversy on Saturday morning, ran 4:07.38, finishing behind the event’s three favorites.

Morgan Uceny, who was ranked #1 in the world last year, won the race in 4:04.59. Former Medtronic TC 1 Mile champ Shannon Rowbury, a World Championships bronze medalist in 2009, ran 4:05.11, while 2011 World champion Jenny Simpson clocked 4:05.17.

Toeing the Eugene starting line last night, Anderson faced the tall order of needing not only to finish in the top-three to earn a berth on the U.S. Olympic Team, but also needing to run 4:06.00 or faster to attain the Olympic A standard.

Anderson chose to race from inside the pack, rather than set a pace aimed at the Olympic standard. While the tempo was slower through 1100m than that needed for a 4:06.00, if Anderson would have finished with the speed of the top-three over the final 400m, she would have been in position for the standard.

Uceny, Rowbury, and Simpson all closed in under 61 seconds. Anderson’s last 400m was 1:02.67.

Anderson didn’t seem affected by the wild Saturday morning she endured, when she awoke to the news that she had been disqualified from her 1500m semi-final for impeding another runner. After a successful petition, however, Anderson was reinstated in the field by early Saturday afternoon.

There’s a Flotrack interview with Anderson from after the final HERE.

Find complete women's 1500-meter final results HERE.

In the men's 1500-meters, Minnetonka High School alumnus Will Leer finished 12th in 3:46.75.

Leer, who won his semi-final on Friday, led in the early-going on Sunday’s race. Like Anderson, he needed to run an Olympic A standard (3:35.50) and finish in the top-three to make the London team.

The early pace-setting appeared to work against Leer, however.  After being passed just before the 800m mark, Leer sank through the field, ultimately finishing last.

Find men's results HERE.