Jones Second In Nation Spokane Runner Makes Olympic Trials By Placing In Marathon Championships

Gwyn Coogan beat Spokane’s Kim Jones by two minutes and won the U.S. women’s championship in the Houston Marathon Sunday, earning a record $30,000 and a spot in the U.S. Olympic trials in 2000.

Stephen Ndungu took the men’s race in 2 hours, 11 minutes, 23 seconds, leading a sweep of the first five places by Kenyans.

The race served as the women’s national championship for the second time and Coogan led 22 women who bettered the 2:50:00 trials qualifying time.

Coogan’s time was 2:33.37. Her prize was a record for a U.S. women’s championship excluding the Olympic trials. The total women’s payout of $100,500 also was the largest for a women’s championship except for the trials.

Coogan, a U.S. Olympian at 10,000 meters in 1992, started her surge in the ninth mile and took the lead for good in the 10th mile. Jones finished at 2:35:44 and early leader Linda Somers Smith was third at 2:38:52.

Jones earned $20,000 and Somers got $14,000.

Coogan fell early in the race.

“I took a little spill at the third mile, but I didn’t take anyone down with me,” Coogan said. “It was early in the race, so I didn’t think it would bother me.”

Jones said she was worn down after only two miles.

“After four miles, I wanted to quit,” she said. “I knew if I tried to go with her (Coogan), I wouldn’t have finished.”

Coogan was more concerned with the early pace set by Somers and Jones.

“Linda went out fast and Kim went with her,” Coogan said. “I felt like we were running fast, but I guess we weren’t. There wasn’t anything I could do about it, so I decided to relax and enjoy the race.”

Ndungu had an easy time in the men’s event. He took the lead from countryman Sammy Maritim at 6 miles and steadily pulled way from the field, finishing 2:14 ahead of Maritim. Gideon Mutisya was third at 2:14:18.