Samuelson Comes Up Short In Trials Bid

Former Olympic gold medalist sets a 50-54 U.S. age-group record at Chicago Marathon.

She fell short in her Olympic Trials Marathon qualifying attempt at Sunday’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon, but 53-year-old Joan Benoit Samuelson showed that she still has some life left in her ageless legs, finishing 43rd in the women’s race in 2 hours, 47 minutes and 50 seconds, a 50-54 U.S. age-group record.

Needing to run under the “B” standard of 2:46 to qualify for the Trials race to be held in Houston on January 14, 2012, Samuelson went through halfway in a quick 1:21:09 before fading over the second half of the race. When asked afterward if it was part of her pre-race plan to put some time in the bank, Samuelson answered in her typical candid, competitive fashion.

“It wasn’t a smart race, but it was my race and that’s the way I had to do it today,” Samuelson told Joe Battaglia of Universal Sports.

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