Collins Finishes Runner-Up at USA Jr National Championships

Story Links

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. –Virginia freshman Ryan Collins placed second in the 5000m run at the 2008 USA Junior National Championships in Columbus, Ohio over the weekend to qualify for the 2008 IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland in early July. Collins joins classmate Emil Heineking as the second Cavalier first-year to represent Virginia at the international level this year, as Heineking raced in the junior men’s race of the 2008 World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland at the end of March.
“Ryan ran a really smart race,” head coach Jason Dunn said. “I am very pleased that he will have the opportunity to represent his country at the Junior World Championships. It was clear how valuable of an experience it was for Emil, and I am sure Ryan will similarly take away a great deal from the international competition.”

The junior national meet was held at the Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at Ohio State, where the first-year finished in 14:46.50, just two-seconds behind Matthew Centrowitz’s (Oregon) time of 14:44.67 that won the race.

The runner-up finish qualifies Collins for the junior world championships to be held July 8-13 in Poland. Collins’ event is scheduled for Sunday, July 13.