Hall clinches Olympic berth; Shay dies after race

NEW YORK -- Ryan Hall, Dathan Ritzenhein and Brian Sell won spots on the men's marathon team for the Beijing Olympics, finishing 1-2-3 Saturday at the U.S. trials on a day in which one runner died.

AP Photo/Jason DeCrow

Ryan Hall, who finished eighth in his first marathon in April, set a U.S. Olympic trials record with his time of 2 hours, 9 minutes, 2 seconds Saturday.

Ryan Shay, who collapsed about 5&http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/trackandfield/news/#189; miles into the race, died Saturday. He was 28.

The death was confirmed after the race by New York Road Runners president Mary Wittenberg. She said he was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital.

The 28-year-old Shay was a favorite going into the 2004 trials but was hampered by a hamstring strain and finished 23rd. He was third at this year's U.S. 25K championships.

The top three made the Olympics in the marathon for the first time, prevailing in a field of 131 that included Meb Keflezighi, silver medalist at the 2004 Olympics.

Hall, bellowing over the final mile with his victory ensured, had never run a marathon before April. He won in a trials record time of 2 hours, 9 minutes, 2 seconds after making five loops around Central Park. He was followed by Ritzenhein in 2:11:07 and Sell in 2:11:40.

"It was really tough out there, and I'm proud to represent America," Hall said. "We have quite a team."

Khalid Khannouchi, the 35-year-old former world record holder who has never made an Olympic team, was fourth, nearly a minute behind Sell. Khannouchi, who has battled injuries, could earn a spot on the squad if Ritzenhein later qualifies in the 10,000 meters and chooses to compete in that race instead in Beijing.

Keflezighi was in the lead pack for much of the race but fell back to eighth.

Hall broke away from the leading pack of five runners at about the 17th mile. He looked relaxed and fresh the entire race, pumping his fists as he drew closer to the finish.

Hall came to Stanford as a miler but steadily moved up to longer distances over the years. He resisted each shift and finally came to realize the marathon was his race.

Hall served notice he could compete with the world's best when he made the fastest marathon debut by an American, finishing eighth against an elite field in London in April.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

Source: ESPN.com