University of Minnesota Athletics
Mead Punches Olympic Ticket
7/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
EUGENE, Ore. (GopherSports.com) - University of Minnesota track & field and cross country alum Hassan Mead punched his ticket to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro with a runner-up finish in the 5,000 meters on Saturday at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
"I can't put any words on it. As a kid I used to watch people become an Olympian and how they reacted when they made it," Mead said. "I was trying to picture what my reaction would've been when I made it, and to be able to go through the line knowing I'm going to the next Olympics hasn't hit me yet, but I'm sure when it does, it's going to be a great feeling."
The Minneapolis, Minn., native ran a 13:35.70 at Hayward Field to finish one spot behind Bernard Lagat and earn his first bid to the Olympics.
"I kind of expected it to be an unpredictable race with people going and coming back. One thing I had to do was cover every move being made and had to give myself a chance on the last lap," Mead said. "As my coach said, stay smooth, stay within the race, and bring it home strong."
An eight-time All-American and a nine-time Big Ten champion for the Gophers, Mead still owns Minnesota records in the outdoor 10,000 meters (28:12.74), the outdoor 5,000 meters (13:28.45), the indoor 5,000 meters (13:33.42) and the 8,000 meters in cross country (23:29).
"We're absolutely thrilled for Hassan," Minnesota Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Steve Plasencia, a two-time Olympian in the 10,000 meters, said. "He's simply a tremendous person…he's poured his heart and soul into running, and we couldn't be more proud of him right now."
Fellow Minnesota All-American alum Ben Blankenship will attempt to join Mead on the U.S. Olympic Team when he runs in the 1,500 meter finals on Sunday at 7:20 p.m. CT.
###
