Manzano takes third, qualifies for U.S. team
EUGENE, Ore. — Leonel Manzano qualified for the U.S. track and field team after he finished third in the 1,500 meters June 25.
The 2004 Marble Falls High School graduate completed the race in 3 minutes 48.16 seconds. He overcame several factors that made it look like anyone could have finished in the top three to move on.
“When the race started, it was really slow, the first lap,” high school coach Kyle Futrell said. “The first lap was slower than the women’s 1,500.”
The runners were in a group during the first two laps, forcing some athletes to put their hands on competitors during the race.
“It was a big group of people trying to move somewhere,” Futrell said. “The will of the mob is what you have to go with. (Manzano) was in as bad as shape as anybody starting in position one. There wasn’t much he could do about it.”
But in the final 500 meters, the group began to separate as runners sprinted.
“You can see him make a move,” Futrell said. “He was running to work himself out. When he made a move, so did everyone else.”
The former Texas Longhorn was in eighth place and then used his famous kick — or his ability to outsprint the competition — to work his way toward the leaders.
“He has as good a kick or sprint as anybody,” the Mustangs coach said. “It’s not much different than bike racing or Nascar. You spend half the race trying to ensure you’re in good position. There are any number of people capable of winning. But it’s the ones who are in the best position.”
Manzano’s former Highland Lakes Track Club coach Steve McCannon said the runner’s ability to get himself near the leaders displays several traits.
“It shows his strength,” he said. “Not only the amount of training to be ready for that kind of tactical race, and then it became an all out sprint.”
The result was a spot to compete at the world championships in Daegu, South Korea, in August.
Matthew Centrowitz won the event in 3:47.63. Barnard Lagat finished second in 3:47.96 but decided to give up his spot to fourth-place finisher Andrew Wheating, who recorded a time of 3:48.19. Lagat wants to concentrate on the 5,000 meters.
Futrell said Manzano is capable of running faster, noting he was 16 seconds slower than his personal best.
“It’s nine weeks before the world championships,” he said. “Now he has all summer to race and get better. Now he’s learning how to manage (running in a pack). That’s just experience.”