Rhines Stays Sharp with Crisp 15:17.83 in Lignano

Jen Rhines ran her fourth 5000 meter race of the outdoor season tonight in Lignano, Italy and posted her second fastest time of the campaign. Jen finished second to fellow American Liz Maloy, coming home in 15:17.83. As the results below show, the runners got very well strung out as the race developed. Maloy and Rhines ran away from the rest of the competitors and were the only two with a chance to win the race. Amy Hastings was in "no man's land" on an island by herself in third.

Amy Hastings and Angela Bizzarri, who finished second and third, respectively, at the USA Nationals 5000, are in Europe chasing the World Championships "A" standard (15:14.00)-- both have the "B" standard (15:25.00) and Bizzarri will be unable to compete at Worlds unless either she or Hastings achieves the "A" standard. Both Hastings and Bizzarri were off form tonight, finishing well back and far removed from the 15:14.00 "A" standard. Jen Rhines, who finished fourth in the 5000 at the USA meet, also has the "B" standard, with her 15:14.88 in Hengelo being her season's best. Only one "B" standard athlete per country may compete in each event at Worlds. If Hastings gets the "A" standard by August 8th, then the USA team will be the top 3 finishers at the USA meet last month: Molly Huddle, Amy Hastings, and Angela Bizzarri. If neither Hastings nor Bizzarri nor Rhines get the "A", then only Huddle and Hastings will compete at Worlds in the 5000. Rhines has the "A" standard in the 10,000 and made Team USA for Worlds at that distance. If Jen were to run under 15:14 in the next two weeks, and assuming that Bizzarri fails to do so, Jen might be eligible to compete at Worlds in the 5000 as well.

Lignano 5000 meters
1. MALOY Elizabeth    USA     15:15.34
2. RHINES Jen         USA     15:17.83
3. HASTINGS Amy       USA     15:29.84
4. CULLEY Julie       USA     15:43.59
5. ANDERSON Gabriele  USA     15:45.99
6. BIRCA Roxana       ROU     15:48.92
7. BRACY Addie        USA     15:49.24
8. FOLLETT Katie      USA     15:50.01
9. VAN DALEN Holly    NZL     15:52.35
10. BIZZARRI Angela   USA     16:10.76
11. ARESON Jackie     USA     16:32.98
    LAMAR Annick      USA     DNF
    GRACE Allison     USA     DNF
    MUNCAN Marina     SRB     DNF
    BEGLEY Amy        USA     DNS

Leader's splits were:  
1000: 3.03.2 (3:03.2)
2000: 3:05.8 (6.09.0)
3000: 2:59.1 (9.08.1)
4000: 3:07.0 (12.15.1)
5000: 3:00.2 (15:15.3)


Jen's 5000 track races this season so far are:

5/29     Hengelo                  15:14.88  (SB)
6/25     USATF Nationals          15:19.12
7/8      Paris Diamond League     15:30.97
7/19     Lignano                  15:17.83