Ryan Hall wins Olympic marathon qualifier

Ryan Hall, Dathan Ritzenheim and Brian Sell will represent the United States in the marathon at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Hall won Saturday’s Olympic marathon qualifier in New York City in Central Park with a time of 2:09:02,Ritzenheim followed at 2:11:07. Sell was next with a time of 2:11:40, just over a minute ahead of Khalid Khannouchi.

Ryan Hall, a 25-year-old Californian, Hall has been looked to as a future star since he was a national cross country champion in high school, and in 2007 he broke the American record in the half-marathon (59:43) and posted the fastest American debut marathon in history in placing eighth at the Flora London Marathon (2:08:24).

“It was a good run for me,” Hall said about the race. “I was trying not to get too excited too early, but I saw myself achieving my goal in the last lap. The last mile, I knew I was going to be OK. I know I can run considerably faster. There’s definitely more gears in there. I’ll get to test those in Beijing.”

Ritzenheim, a 2004 Olympian at 10,000 meters, finished 11th in last year’s New York City Marathon and was a winner in a 10-kilometer race in Central Park in May of this year.

“It was incredible out there,”

said the 24-year-old Ritzenheim, who dropped out of the 10,000 meters in Athens. “I’ve never seen a crowd like that other than running the [New York City] marathon last year. It kept building and building every time we came around. Every lap, it just got crazy.”

Sell, at age 29, has the most marathon experience of the group and was a fourth-place finisher at the Boston Marathon in 2006.

“I was just trying to keep relaxed until the last lap, then attack,” said Sell. “When I saw them with a lap to go, I just didn’t want to go too hard. I’m just happy I timed it right.”

Shortly after the conclusion of the race, officials confirmed that 5-time USA road champion Ryan Shay, who collapsed shortly after the 5-mile mark, had died.

Shay was immediately given CPR and transported to Lenox Hill Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:46 a.m. (et).

“We all are devastated over Ryan’s death,” USA Track & Field said in a statement. “He was a tremendous champion who was here today to pursue his dreams. The Olympic Trials is traditionally a day of celebration, but we are heartbroken. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ryan’s wife, Alicia, and all of his family. His death is a tremendous loss for the sport and the long-distance running community.”

Shay, a native of Michigan and a 2002 graduate of Notre Dame, was considered a contender for a spot on the Olympic team. He was the 2003 USA marathon champ.

For more information on Shay’s tragic death, visit USATF.org.

For complete race coverage of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men’s Marathon, including full results and athlete quotes, visit USATF.org.