RESULTS

Four years after feeling the pain of a devastating fourth place finish, 32-year-old Amy Cragg got her redemption today in the streets of Los Angeles by winning the women’s U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in 2:28:20.

Cragg and her Bowerman Track Club training partner Shalane Flanagan worked together for almost the entire race, but surprisingly it was Cragg, whose 2:27 PR is nearly six minutes slower than Flanagan’s, who would breakaway with a mile to go. Flanagan was struggling mightily at this point, and Cragg even slowed to encourage her late in the race.

.@HastyHastings proving herself to be very good at running and also the nicest person in the world.

— Chris Derrick (@CDerrickRun) February 13, 2016

It was an incredible performance by Cragg to clinch her second Olympic team in style, scoring a decisive victory over Desi Linden and Flanagan, the fourth and second-fastest U.S. female marathoners in history.

Cragg’s victory was a big upset, and it shows just how well she has taken to training under Bowerman TC head coach Jerry Schumacher, and running with Flanagan, since moving across the country late this past year. She looked like a different runner out there today.

As Flanagan was sputtering late in the warm conditions, 2012 runner-up Linden was charging, and would pass Flanagan with under a mile to go. 

The 32-year-old and now two-time Olympian replicated her finish at this event from four years ago, using a conservative approach to gain on the Bowerman duo late in the 26.2 race.

She hung back from Cragg and Flanagan as the pair went to the lead at 11 miles and built a large lead over the rest of the field throughout the race, only to reel in the struggling Flanagan and secure second in 2:28:54. Flanagan was third in 2:29:19. 

The 34-year-old Flanagan collapsed at the finish line in exhaustion into the waiting arms of Cragg, and went straight into a wheelchair, spent from her effort.



She had to receive fluids in the medical tent post-race, but before she did she gave props to Cragg for helping her lock up her spot on a fourth Olympic team.

"Sweet baby Jesus I'm so thankful for her." - @ShalaneFlanagan on @HastyHastings #LA2016

— FloTrack (@FloTrack) February 13, 2016

37-year-old and two-time Olympian Kara Goucher finished in the gut-wrenching fourth spot in 2:30:24.

Kara Goucher finishes 4th #LA2016. Toughest spot, but still an outstanding run pic.twitter.com/6lLEQwcKng

— FloTrack (@FloTrack) February 13, 2016

Afterwards, Goucher had harsh words for her former training group, the Nike Oregon Project. 

We'll have much more from Los Angeles shortly...