JANSON TAKES US JUNIOR MEN'S XC TITLE

INDIANAPOLIS ?The University of Colorado’s Peter Janson has extended the Buffs’ streak of U.S. Junior Men’s National Championships to two, as the redshirt freshman won Sunday’s USA Cross Country Championships junior men’s 8k race in 24 minutes, 14 seconds and will be one of four Buffs that will represent the U.S. at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships March 20-21 in Brussels, Belgium as the top six finishers in each of the weekend’s six races qualify.

Janson, who repeats now-sophomore Billy Nelson’s efforts of a year ago, won the race with 10 seconds to spare ahead of future teammate Ryan Deak (Aurora, Colo.). Both will be running for CU head coach Mark Wetmore in Brussels, as Wetmore is the U.S. Junior Men’s Team Leader for the Championship.

“Pete ran a great race and he and Ryan will get some practice being teammates together a little early,” said Wetmore.

Repeating her place on a world championships team, former All-American Molly Austin finished fifth in Saturday’s women’s open 8k, covering the course in 27:44, while CU junior Natalie Florence (28:55) finished 17th. Boulder’s Colleen DeReuck took the women’s long course title in 26:16. In the open women’s short race, former All-American Carrie Messner finished 12th in 13:29.

“Molly had a wonderful race, making the team she made a year ago, confirming that that effort was no fluke. Natalie didn’t have a great race, but that was good to discover now so that we can spend the next three to four months getting in the shape necessary to run a great race.”

Bob Kennedy won the men’s open 12k here Sunday in 35:03 and will be joined in Brussels by former CU NCAA Champion Jorge Torres, who will run his first world championship after finishing third here in 35:15. Last year’s junior men’s national champion and current CU sophomore Billy Nelson (36:18) finished 13th ahead of former Buffs Oscar Ponce (37:58) and Clint Wells (38:53), who finished 44th and 61st, respectively. Ed Torres, who has been battling a leg injury, pulled out of the race at the midway point.

1998 NCAA Champion Adam Goucher struggled in Saturday’s open men’s 4k and finished 23rd in 11:54, while future Buff Amber Smith (Ishpeming, Mich.) finished eighth in the junior women’s race and will assume alternate status, missing the automatic qualifying finish by two places.

“Amber will be a nice contribution to our team next year,” complimented Wetmore.

In just his second marathon, former All-American Alan Culpepper will compete in his second Olympics this summer in Athens as the now-Lafayette, Colo. resident won the U.S. Men’s Marathon Trials in Birmingham in 2:11.42, five seconds ahead of Meb Keflezighi (2:11.47). Culpepper ran the 10k at the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, Australia. Culpepper’s former teammates Scott Larson (2:15.03) and Shawn Found (2:24.45) finished sixth and 44th, respectively, in the trials.