By Rich Sands, @sands
(c) 2024 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
EUGENE, ORE. -– Grant Fisher surged to the front with less than three laps to go to decisively break open the men’s 10,000 meters on the first night of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials — Track & Field. The American record holder was followed across the line at Hayward Field by Woody Kincaid and Nico Young, who will join him in Paris.
It was an honest race from the start with Conner Mantz –already on the Olympic team in the marathon– setting the tempo. He was followed by a single file procession of Young, Fisher, Kincaid, Paul Chelimo and Andrew Colley. In the early laps, Mantz was towing the field at a sub-27:00 pace.
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Chelimo briefly went to the lead after 4200 meters, but Mantz surged ahead half a lap later. By halfway the pace had slowed enough to allow the main chase pack of Sam Chelanga, Drew Hunter, Casey Clinger and Ryan Ford to latch onto back of the lead group.
Chelanga, 38, went to the lead at 6600 meters and opened up a small gap, but a kilometer later Young was up front. Chelimo briefly took control with three laps to go, but his challenge was short lived. With two and a half laps remaining, Fisher made his move and the field was unable to respond.
As the pack broke apart, Kincaid, Young and Hunter remained in the hunt for the final two roster spots. Hunter, who does not have the Olympic qualifying standard, was the odd man out in the final half lap.
![Woody Kincaid winning the 2023 USATF Track and Field Championships 2023](https://world-track.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Kincaid_Celebrates__10000m_USATF_Championships_2023_July_06_Jane_Monti_With_Credit.webp)
Fisher won in 27:49.47, well clear of a fast-closing Kincaid (27:50.74) and Young (27:52.40). Hunter, the former high school record holder in the indoor mile, was fourth in 27:53.35, followed by Clinger (27:59.71) and Mantz (28:00.90). Chelimo, a two-time Olympic medalist in the 5000, faded badly and came home 10th in 28:18.31.
“This definitely is validation,” Fisher said, referring to his decision to part ways with the Bowerman Track Club last year and reunite with his former high school coach, Mike Scannell. “When I mapped out the year with my coach, we had an indoor plan, we had an outdoor plan, the overarching goal was to get on the team.”
At last year’s USA championships, Fisher was fighting an injury and finished fourth, one spot off making the team for the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
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“I missed the team last year, super disappointing to watch Budapest from the couch. So to be back on the team feels really good. We targeted this race not as a qualifier, but I wanted to win. And I wanted to do it dominantly, and I wanted to show myself that I’m still the best guy in the country.”
He will also attempt to make the team in the 5000 meters when that event begins next week.
Kincaid said he missed about 10 days of training in late April with an injury, so wasn’t sure what to expect in this race. “Nobody likes coming into the Olympic Trials having not raced in three months,” he said. “Even at 31 I thought I would be more confident coming in, but nope, still nervous.”
Still, he knew his closing speed was his not-so-secret-weapon (he closed in 55.8 seconds). “I would like to have not relied on the kick, but that’s what it comes down to when you’re trying to make an Olympic team,” said Kincaid, the 2021 Trials champion.
“When it got to 200 to go and I saw out of the corner of my eye on the screen who was still with me I was like, it’s time to burn it.”
Young, who like Kincaid is coached by Northern Arizona University’s Mike Smith, was pleased with his effort, capping off a year that saw him win NCAA indoor titles in the 3000 and 5000 and set collegiate records in the 5000 (12:57.14 indoors) and 10,000 (26:52.72). “I kinda wish I felt better out there today,” he said. “It was good enough for today, so I’m happy with that.”