Wolfpack Runners Chase Olympic Dreams at Marathon Trials
2/9/2016 3:31:00 PM | Track, Cross Country
RALEIGH, N.C. – Five NC State alumni will compete Saturday, Feb. 13th in Los Angles at the USATF Olympic Marathon Trials, as they aim for the first spots on the United State's Olympic Roster.
Kelly Calway, Andie Cozzarelli, Stephen Furst, Matt Sonnonfeldt and Joanna Thompson will all run the 26.2-mile course along the streets of LA. The race is slated to begin at 1:06 p.m. EST.
NC State's Entries:
Kelly Calway
Calway - formerly Kelly Brown, ran for the NC State cross country and track & field teams from 2003-2006. Calway was the first NC State athlete to earn the cut, racing in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. on October 27th, 2013 . She crossed the finish line in 2:42:16 to earn the "B" standard for the trials.
Andie Cozzarelli
Cozzarelli is a current Oiselle-sponsered athlete and ran with the Pack from 2008-2013. After racing locally at the Sir Walter Miler in the summer and the adidas XC Challenge in September, Cozzarelli earned her qualifying mark in October, in Columbus, Ohio, at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Half Marathon. She crossed the finish line in 1:12:51 and is holds the 13th-fastest women's half-marathon qualifying standard.
Stephen Furst
Furst, a current volunteer assistant for the Pack, ran with the team from 2005-2008. Furst was one of 41 athletes to earn the trial cut at the Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon in January of 2016, finishing 6th in 1:04:23. In preparation for the qualifying race, Furst won the Three Stripe Challenge, running unattached.
This marks Furst's second time competing at the Olympic trials. Furst raced in the 5,000m at the 2012 USATF Olympic trials.
Matthew Sonnenfeldt
Sonnenfeldt ran for NC State from 2010-2014. He hit the exact mark to qualify for the trials at the Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon, crossing the finish line in 18th place in 1:05.00.
Joanna Thompson:
Thompson was a three-time All-American, running for the Pack from 2011-2015. She currently runs with Zap Sports. Along with Sonnenfeldt, Thompson earned her trial cut at the RnR Philadelphia. Thompson covered the 13.1-mile course in 1:14.10 and was the 18th women to cross the line.
Broadcast Schedule:
NBC will broadcast unprecedented live coverage of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon for men and women from Los Angeles, Calif., on Saturday, February 13, 2016, beginning at 1 p.m. ET. This marks the first time in U.S. Olympic Team Trials history that the men's and women's marathons will be televised live nationally. NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs – will live stream the coverage.
The Road to Rio
The top three finishers from each race who meet Olympic time standards will make the team for Rio. The fourth and fifth-place finishers from each race will serve as alternates. The race will feature 457 athletes (211 men & 246 women) who are all chasing a spot on the Olympic team.
About USATF:
USA Track & Field is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the country's #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States. For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org.
NC State's Olympic Marathon History:
In 1984, former Wolfpack distance specialist Joan Benoit became the first-ever women's Olympic marathon champion, winning gold in 2:24:52. During her career, Benoit established herself as an elite marathoner, winning the Boston Marathon, Chicago Marathon, and the Nike OTC Marathon. She also has a host of top-five finishes in marathons around the world.
Kelly Calway, Andie Cozzarelli, Stephen Furst, Matt Sonnonfeldt and Joanna Thompson will all run the 26.2-mile course along the streets of LA. The race is slated to begin at 1:06 p.m. EST.
NC State's Entries:
Kelly Calway
Calway - formerly Kelly Brown, ran for the NC State cross country and track & field teams from 2003-2006. Calway was the first NC State athlete to earn the cut, racing in the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. on October 27th, 2013 . She crossed the finish line in 2:42:16 to earn the "B" standard for the trials.
Andie Cozzarelli
Cozzarelli is a current Oiselle-sponsered athlete and ran with the Pack from 2008-2013. After racing locally at the Sir Walter Miler in the summer and the adidas XC Challenge in September, Cozzarelli earned her qualifying mark in October, in Columbus, Ohio, at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Half Marathon. She crossed the finish line in 1:12:51 and is holds the 13th-fastest women's half-marathon qualifying standard.
Stephen Furst
Furst, a current volunteer assistant for the Pack, ran with the team from 2005-2008. Furst was one of 41 athletes to earn the trial cut at the Jacksonville Bank Half Marathon in January of 2016, finishing 6th in 1:04:23. In preparation for the qualifying race, Furst won the Three Stripe Challenge, running unattached.
This marks Furst's second time competing at the Olympic trials. Furst raced in the 5,000m at the 2012 USATF Olympic trials.
Matthew Sonnenfeldt
Sonnenfeldt ran for NC State from 2010-2014. He hit the exact mark to qualify for the trials at the Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon, crossing the finish line in 18th place in 1:05.00.
Joanna Thompson:
Thompson was a three-time All-American, running for the Pack from 2011-2015. She currently runs with Zap Sports. Along with Sonnenfeldt, Thompson earned her trial cut at the RnR Philadelphia. Thompson covered the 13.1-mile course in 1:14.10 and was the 18th women to cross the line.
Broadcast Schedule:
NBC will broadcast unprecedented live coverage of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon for men and women from Los Angeles, Calif., on Saturday, February 13, 2016, beginning at 1 p.m. ET. This marks the first time in U.S. Olympic Team Trials history that the men's and women's marathons will be televised live nationally. NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group's live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs – will live stream the coverage.
The Road to Rio
The top three finishers from each race who meet Olympic time standards will make the team for Rio. The fourth and fifth-place finishers from each race will serve as alternates. The race will feature 457 athletes (211 men & 246 women) who are all chasing a spot on the Olympic team.
About USATF:
USA Track & Field is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the country's #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States. For more information on USATF, visit www.usatf.org.
NC State's Olympic Marathon History:
In 1984, former Wolfpack distance specialist Joan Benoit became the first-ever women's Olympic marathon champion, winning gold in 2:24:52. During her career, Benoit established herself as an elite marathoner, winning the Boston Marathon, Chicago Marathon, and the Nike OTC Marathon. She also has a host of top-five finishes in marathons around the world.
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