Olympian Leonel Manzano making run at World Championships
DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR
MARBLE FALLS — The road to Moscow started in Eugene, Ore., but took a few wild turns for Marble Falls High School graduate and Olympic silver medalist Leonel Manzano.Despite the challenges, Manzano starts his campaign in the men’s 1,500-meter race at the International Association of Athletics Federations World Track and Field Championships on Aug. 14 in Moscow.
Manzano, who spent much of his youth in Granite Shoals, competes in the preliminary heats of the 1,500-meter race. If he makes it through, he’ll compete in the semifinals Aug. 16 followed by the finals Aug. 18.
The former Mustang runner won the silver medal in the 1,500-meter race during the 2012 London Olympic Games. Manzano used his formidable “kick” in the last 50 meters of the race to eclipse several other runners to finish second.
In June, Manzano finished second during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene with a time of 3 minutes 45.35 seconds. Typically, the top three finishers in the event earn a spot on the U.S. team for the World Championships.
But a rule change required runners to hit the A-standard of 3:35 minutes to qualify for the international event.
Manzano met the A-standard on July 6 during the Meeting AREVA (IAAF Diamond League) in Paris, where he ran the 1,500-meter race in 3:33.14 seconds.
The 2004 Marble Falls High School graduate spent much of the summer in Europe training and competing. He was putting the final preparations in his training for the World Championships in Teddington, South London, in England before heading for Moscow.
In Russia, Manzano won’t have it easy. His competition includes Kenyan Asbel Kiprop, who won the event in the 2011 championships. Kiprop has won all three of his 1,500-meter races this year in the IAAF Diamond League series.
He recently posted a time of 3:27.72 in the 1,500-meter event, which puts him fourth in the world all-time list for that distance.
Ironically, Kiprop isn’t even entering the race as the No. 1 Kenyan. During the Kenyan trials, Silas Kiplagat edged him for the top spot for that nation.
Rounding out the U.S. team is Matthew Centrowitz and Lopez Lomong.
Universal Sports and NBC are scheduled to broadcast the meet at different times throughout the week.
daniel@thepicayune.com