Distance Carnival in Hawaii (Canadian Athletes)

[blaan]

World Class Athletes Race
To Inspire Hawai‘i’s Youth

On February 5th in conjunction with UH Manoa’s Sunset Track and Field Meet (Feb 5-6) there will be an Elite Distance Carnival featuring an Elite Men’s Mile Event in an effort to break the 4 minute mile barrier, followed by a highly competitive Elite Women’s 5000m Event. Up until 1998 a similar event existed with Olympic caliber athletes racing down Kalakaua Avenue and it attracted hundreds of spectators. We are hoping to revive this old tradition and in the process inspire young athletes in Hawaii by allowing them to witness world class athletes go head to head on the island.

Where: The University of Hawaii at Manoa’s T.C. Ching Complex (lower campus).
When: Friday, February 5th at 6pm
Cost: FREE!!!

Below are the athlete profiles of the runners that will be racing on Friday night.

Chantell Widney
Birthday: 12/30/1979
Age: 30
Hometown: New Sarepta
Club: Edmonton Thunder
Coach: Glen Playfair
Hobbies: Reading
Personal Records:
800: 2:08
5000m Road: 16:50
10000 Road: 34.23
Major competitions or accomplishments: 2nd at the Vancouver Sun Run 10km, 2007,2009,2010 National Team Member

Kirsty Smith
Birthday: 12/12/1983
Age: 26
Hometown: North Vancouver BC
School: Villanova Alum 2005
Club:Prairie Inn Harriers
Coach:Richard Lee
Hobbies:Snowboarding, XC Skiing
Personal Records:
1500: 4:26.10
3000: 9:23.65
5000: 16:27.10
10k road: 34:11
Half Marathon: 1:16
Major competitions or accomplishments:
Represented Canada at the 2006 World XC Championships
Won Vancouver First Half Marathon 2008
Third Place Overall in 2008 Sun Run

Lisa Harvey
Birthday: 2/7/1970
Age: 39
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Occupation: Teacher
Club: Calgary Spartans
Coach: Mike VanTighem/Steve Adams
Hobbies: Swimming, Cycling, Reading
Personal Records:
1,500m: 4:22
3,000m: 9:04
5,000m: 15:51
10,000m: 32:40
1/2 Marathon: 1:14
Marathon: 2:48
Major Competitions and Accomplishments: '92 Olympian, 2 Time World Outdoor Track Champs Team Member, 10 World Cross Country Champs. (placed 6th as a junior and 32nd as a senior), Pan Am Games Silver Medalist at 10,000m.

Chantelle Wilder
Birthday: 12/03/1985
Age: 24
Hometown: London, Ontario, CANADA
School: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Club: London Runner
Coach: Brandon Laan
Hobbies: reading, going to the beach
Personal Records: 800: 2:16
1500: 4:38
3000m: 9:55
5000m (indoor): 17:03
5k road: 17:19
10,000m: 36:30
Major competitions or accomplishments: Team Canada NACAC/World XC Championships 2009

Eri MacDonald
Birthday: 1/13/81
Age: 29
Hometown: Kailua
School: The University of Oregon
Personal Records:
800: 2:04

Michael McGrath
Birthday: 3/17/1985
Age: 24
Hometown: Portland, OR
School: University of Oregon Alumni
Hobbies: Running, Basketball, Cooking, Traveling, Reading.
Personal Records:
800m: 1:47.62
1500m: 3:42.44
Mile: 3:59.25
3000m: 8:10.80
Major competitions or accomplishments:
Member of Several Pac-10 Team Championship for U of O Ducks. Cross Country and Track and Field
Oregon Gatorade Athlete of the Year Award
US Bank Student Athlete Award
Track and Field News All-American
Multiple-time NCAA Indoor and Outdoor National Qualifier

Jon Rankin
Birthday: February 9th, 1982
Age: 27
Hometown: Lafayette, CA
School: UCLA
Club: Bay Area Track Club
Coach: John W. Rankin
Hobbies: reading, playing trumpet, walking
Personal Records:
400m: 48.0,
800m: 1:47.01
1500m: 3:35.26
1-mile: 3:54.24
Major competitions or accomplishments: 2nd place at USATF 1-mile Road Championships, 6th place in 1500m at 2008 USATF Olympic Trials, 2007 Emsley Carr Mile Winner

Sean Brosnan
Birthday: 03-12-1977
Age: 32
Hometown: Lafayette, Ca
School: Adams State College and Cal State San Marcos
Club: Sponsor: Mizuno
Coach: self
Hobbies: running, writing,
Personal Records:
400: 48.91,
800: 1:48.98,
1500: 3:43.33,
Mile: 400.80
Major competitions or accomplishments: 9x All- American in College, USATF Qualifier 1500.

Steve Sherer
Birthday: 5/5/82
Home Phone:
Age: 27
Hometown: Lafayette CA
School:
Club:New York Athletic Club
Coach: Chris Pupiono
Hobbies: Everything under the sun!
Personal Records:
400m: 49.6,
800: 1:47.6
1500: 3:36.8
Mile: 3:56.00
3k: 7:59
Major competitions or accomplishments: Olympic Trials Finals 2008, 3rd place 1500 USA Indoor Championships 2008/09

Wil Fitts
Birthday: 09/18/1983
Age: 26
Hometown: DeSoto, Texas
School: Baylor University
Club: Unattached
Coach: Steve Connell
Hobbies: Traveling, Reading, and Hunting
Personal Records:
400m: 46.3
800: 1:47.37
Major competitions or accomplishments: NCAA 4x4 National Champion; Several time 4x4 All-American; Several time Big 12 Champion in 4x4 and 600 meters; 2 time NCAA 800 All American

Brandon Laan
Birthday: 11/13/1983
Age: 26
Hometown: London, Ontario, Canada
School: The University of Western Ontario & Hawaii Pacific University
Coach: Steve Weiler
Hobbies: Traveling, Surfing, Writing
Personal Record:
800: 1:53
1500: 3:52
Marathon: 2:25:41
Major competitions or accomplishments: 6th place overall at the 2009 Honolulu Marathon, Olympic Trials Competitor.

[petercorrigan]

Doesn't look like many Canadian athletes were accepted for the mile.

How come?

I personally sent in an e-mail inquiring about the race and didn't even receive any response at all.

[blaan]

Aloha...

It is simply cheaper to fly guys out from California and Oregon...nevertheless, if more funding rolls in, I will certainly let y'all know. I apologize for the delay in responding to emails. It has been a busy few weeks. I hope this will become an annual event, so please be patient as I figure out the details.