By MIKE KEMMETER
of The Gazette
A pair of Stevens Point Area Senior High graduates are in the running to bring home medals at the Sydney Olympics.
Suzy Favor Hamilton and Curt Clausen are representing the United States as members of the track and field team and both are among the favorites to medal in their respective events. Favor Hamilton is competing in the 1,500-meter run and Clausen is in the 50-kilometer racewalk.
Favor Hamilton will compete in the final of the 1,500 meters early Saturday at 4:20 a.m. Central Standard Time (8:20 p.m. Saturday evening in Australia). The race is scheduled to be broadcast on NBC Saturday night between 7 p.m. and midnight.
Clausen begins his 50-K quest for a medal Thursday night at 4 p.m. CST (8 a.m. Friday morning in Australia). His race will be shown Friday night on NBC between 7 p.m. and midnight.
Favor Hamilton ran the second-fastest time in the semifinals early Thursday morning, 4:05.25, at 3 a.m. CST. Nouria Merah-Benida of Algeria edged the 1986 SPASH graduate at the line, besting Favor Hamilton by one-hundredth of a second in the first heat, finishing in 4:05.24. Violeta Szekely of Romania, who took the gold in the 5,000-meter run in the 1996 Olympics, won the second heat in 4:06.60.
Favor Hamilton, who led with 300 meters remaining, is one of 12, including American Marla Runyan, to qualify for the final.
Favor Hamilton advanced to the semifinals Tuesday evening, central time, winning her heat in 4:08.08. Her time was the fastest of all 24 qualifiers for the semifinal round.
Favor Hamilton, who set numerous records at SPASH and the University of Wisconsin, would be the first U.S. woman to win a medal in the 1,500 meters if she finishes in the top three.
Clausen is looking to become the first U.S. medalwinner since Larry Young won the bronze in 1972.