Dinius places 45th at Olympic Trials
Published 10:33 am Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Stephanie Dinius, a Sequim High School and Stanford University grad, placed 45th overall at the U.S. Olympic trials marathon in Los Angeles on Feb. 13.
Dinius, running in a field of 149 competitors — with the top three picked for the national team to compete at this summer’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro — raced to a finish of two hours, 46 minutes, 26 seconds.
Amy Cragg (2:28:20), Desiree Linden (2:28:54) and Shalane Flanagan (2:29:19), the three fastest qualifiers, were the top three finishers in the women’s race. Flanagan and Linden went 1-2 in the 2012 trials and this summer’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro marks their second as U.S. teammates.
On the men’s side, Galen Rupp — considered by many America’s best distance runner but a rookie to the marathon — raced to a relatively easy win in 2:11:12. Meb Keflezighi, who at 40 is America’s most experienced elite distance runner, was about a minute behind Rupp to take second and become the country’s first three-time Olympian in the event. Jared Ward took the third American Olympic Games berth at 2:13.
The weather was a factor for runners as race time temperatures started at 66 degrees and climbed to 78 by race’s end.
