Goucher runs Olympic automatic qualifying standard in Portland
PORTLAND, Ore. -- Kara Goucher, the world bronze medalist in the 10,000 meters, ran under the Olympic automatic qualifying standard Saturday night.
Goucher finished the 10,000-meter race at Lewis and Clark College in 31 minutes, 26.48 seconds, under the "A" standard of 31:45.
A top-three finish a the U.S. Olympic Trials and the "A" standard are needed to secure a spot on the Olympic team.
"I think the trials will be fast enough, but I don't want to worry about a time," Goucher said. "I want to go to the trials and just get in the top three and not have to worry, 'Am I running fast enough?'"
The women's 10,000 meters and a men's 5,000 meter race were arranged by Goucher's coach, Alberto Salazar. The races followed an all-star meet for high school athletes from Oregon and Washington.
Goucher's husband, Adam Goucher, did not run in the 5,000 meters as planned because of a sore back. Galen Rupp, another Olympic hopeful, pulled out of the race with just more than two laps to go because of tenderness in his left calf.
All three athletes are part of Nike's Oregon Project team.
Goucher plans to run next in the women's 5,000 meters at the Prefontaine Classic on Sunday in Eugene, Ore.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
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