Med student wins men's Olympic marathon trials
Bob Kampainen, a medical student from the University of Minnesota, was the winner of the United States men's Olympic marathon trials on February 17.

Kampainen, 29, earned the $100,000 first prize by taking the lead with about three miles remaining. He threw up several times during the closing miles, but managed to finish with an unofficial time of 2 hours, 12 minutes, and 44 seconds.

"Right now, I'm fine. Obviously I'm a little dehydrated after losing some fluid there on the course, but I'm OK," said Kampainen, who competed in the 1992 Olympics at Barcelona, Spain. "I'm incredibly excited to be on the Olympic team and have another crack at it."

It was the first-ever marathon victory for Kampainen.

Mark Coogan finished second in 2:13:05 and Keith Brantly was third in 2:13:22. The top three finishers earn a berth to the Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Coogan earned $40,000 for finishing second and Brantly took home $30,000.

"I was holding on for dear life," said Coogan, who edged fourth-place finisher Steve Plasencia by less than a second.

More than 130 runners competed in the race, which took place with temperatures in the 20s.

Coogan earned an Olympic berth after his wife, Gwyn, finished fourth in the women's marathon trials last week, one position shy of a trip to Atlanta.

Ed Eyestone, who competed in the 1988 Olympics at Seoul and the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, settled for 15th. He failed to become the first three-time Olympic marathoner from the United States since Clarence DeMar in 1912, 1924, and 1928.

Paul Zimmerman, a relative unknown, led for the first 15 miles of the race before fading.

Former 10,000-meter world-record holder Arturo Barrios did not finish.

Unheralded Jenny Spangler of Gurnee, Illinois, was the winner of the women's trials last week at Columbia, South Carolina. Linda Somers finished second and Ann Marie Lauck was third.

This story prepared by Reuters