June 21, 2003

University of North Carolina junior Shalane Flanagan finished second in the 5000 meters and Tar Heel sophomore Laura Gerraughty placed third in the shot put late Friday night at the 2003 USA Track and Field National Championships.

Flanagan was second a week ago at the NCAA Championships in the 5000, although it was just the third time this year she had that distance. Friday night, Flanagan lowered her own UNC record and alltime Atlantic Coast Conference record by placing second in 15:20.54. That is more than 10 seconds better than the ACC and UNC records she set last week at NCAAs (15:30.60).

Flanagan was second behind three-time USA 5000 meter champion and 2000 US Olympian Marla Runyan of Team Nike, who ran 15:16.18. The win was Runyan's third in as many years in the 5000.

Gerraughty, who was second in the shot at the 2003 NCAA Outdoor Championships, threw 57-9 1/2 to place third on Friday. The Nashua, N.H., native was the highest finishing collegian. Kristin Heaston, formerly of the University of California, won with a throw of 60-1 3/4. Team Nike and former UCLA Bruin Seilala Sua was second at 58-0 1/2.

Two-time NCAA 800-meter champion Alice Schmidt qualified for the finals of the 800 meters to be run Sunday. Schmidt placed fourth in her heat and eighth overall in the semifinals on Friday with a time of 2:05.81. She is the second-fastest collegian behind Tennessee's Nicole Cook, who was sixth overall.

Schmidt won the 800 at the 2003 NCAAs with an ACC record time of 2:01.16.

Flanagan will compete in the 1500 final on Saturday.