3-30-2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
   
Contact:
Tom Surber
Media Information Manager
USA Track & Field
(317) 713-4690
[email protected]

INDIANAPOLIS – All participants at the inaugural U.S. Olympic Women’s Marathon Trials have been invited to a 20th year reunion of that event this week in St. Louis. The event is held in conjunction with the 2004 U.S. Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials Saturday, April 3, also in St. Louis.

On May 12, 1984, 238 of 267 Trials qualifiers answered the gun that began the nation’s first Olympic Women’s Marathon Trials in Olympia, Washington. All-time great Joan Benoit Samuelson won the race that day (2:31:04) prior to becoming the first women’s Olympic marathon gold medalist in history with her unforgettable triumph at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles (2:24:52). At the age of 46, Benoit Samuelson is entered to compete at this year’s Olympic Trials Marathon on Saturday.

Joining Benoit Samuelson on the 1984 Olympic Team were Julie Brown, who finished second at Olympia, and third place finisher Julie Isphording.

Reunion attendees are invited to attend the Spirit of St. Louis Marathon Health and Fitness Expo at America’s Center in St. Louis, and an informal dinner later that evening (TBD). After watching the Olympic Marathon Trials on Saturday beginning at 7 a.m., attendees will be invited to participate in the 5 km run/walk starting at 11 a.m. They also will be invited to enter the Spirit of St. Louis Marathon, Half-Marathon or Marathon Relay on Sunday, April 4.

Kare Cossaboon Holm, a 1984 and 1988 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, is organizing the event. She may be reached at (610) 520-3490 (evening/weekend), (610) 239-7900 x461 (daytime) or via email at: [email protected].

For more information on the 2004 U.S. Women’s Olympic Marathon Trials, visit www.usatf.org.