|  Shadrack
Kiptoo of Albuquerque, N.M., and Zoe Nelson of Kalispell, Mont.,
won the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships West Regional at
Mount San Antonio College (Mt. Sac) in Walnut, Calif., today.
In the boys race, a pack of eight runners led the race,
with the lead exchanging hands several times. Galen Rupp of Portland,
Ore., was the frontrunner for most of the first two miles. The finishing
places weren't determined until the exciting final few meters of
the race when Kiptoo, a senior at La Cueva High School, pulled ahead
for the win in 15:32. It was also during the last stretch that Alex
Dunn of Santa Cruz, Calif., who was in tenth place, kicked ahead
to place seventh, and Tom Wyatt of Tacoma, Wash., surged from ninth
to eighth place to fill the last qualifying spot.
Mohamed Trafeh, a senior from Duarte, Calif.,
placed second in 15:35 and Rupp, a senior at Central Catholic High
School, placed third in 15:37. Both Trafeh and Rupp are returning
qualifiers from 2002. Trafeh placed eighth in last year's West Regional
and seventh in the National Finals. Rupp placed sixth in the 2002
West Regional.
The girls race was dominated by a tight
pack of runners including Nelson, last year's West Regional and
National Champion; Liz Pasciuto of Murrieta, Calif.; Sisters Collier
and Marie Lawrence of Reno, Nev.; and Caitlin Chock of Roseville,
Calif. In the last 150 meters, Nelson, a junior at Flathead High
School, surged ahead for the victory in 18:07, qualifying for the
National Finals for the third consecutive year.
Lindsay Flacks, a senior from Calabasas,
Calif., came seemingly out of nowhere to break through the leading
pack for a second-place finish in 18:09. Collier and Marie Lawrence
from Reno High School placed third and fourth respectively, with
times of 18:18 and 18:19. Chock fell behind for a 14th place finish
in 18:47.
The runners enjoyed good running conditions
with overcast skies and temperatures in the upper 60s.
The top eight boys and the top eight girls
of the seeded races qualified to compete against runners from three
other regional meets in the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships
National Finals which takes place Saturday, Dec. 13 in Balboa Park
in San Diego, Calif.
The Foot Locker Cross Country Championships
is supported by presenting sponsor Nike.
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