Changes to Olympic standards gives 11 U.S. runners second chance

“I’ve learned a lesson – do not give up, ever. Finish the race strong, no matter what.”

Eleven runners at the California International Marathon last Sunday were treated with a pleasant surprise four days after finishing the 42.2K race.

After the IAAF tweaked the Olympic standards, the national governing body for track and field in the United States (USATF) honoured the revised marks, meaning 11 runners from the Sacramento-based race qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Among them was Linnabah Snyder, who received the good news at work.

“I’ve learned a lesson – do not give up, ever,” said Snyder.

Snyder finished the race in 2:44:59, nearly two minutes off the original standard of 2:43:00. But this week, the necessary time was softened to 2:45:00, meaning she had qualified for the Trials, set for Feb. 13 in Los Angeles, by a mere one second.

“Finish the race strong, no matter what,” added Snyder.

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“USATF’s standards for the Olympic Trials are never more stringent than those required for the Olympic Games,” USATF spokeswoman Jill Geer told the Sacramento Bee in an email. “The Amateur Sports Act also provides for standards not to be more difficult than Olympic standards. So when the IAAF changed the Olympic Standards, we followed suit.”

Canadian David Le Porho was the top Canadian in the field, scattered among the many American distance runners trying to earn a last-minute qualifier to the marathon trials, a prerequisite for the 2016 Olympic Games.

RELATED: IAAF relaxes standards but will Athletics Canada follow?

Athletics Canada has yet to announce whether they will be honouring the IAAF standards, but have in the past set standards tougher than the international marks in certain events including the marathon.