KARA GOUCHER TO DEFEND MILLROSE MILE TITLE
By David Monti
(c) 2009 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved - used with permission

Although Track & Field News ranked her as the #1 USA marathoner in 2008 after her American debut record at the ING New York City Marathon last November, the reigning USA 5000m champion has decided to defend her title in the mile at the 102nd Millrose Games one week from tomorrow.

Goucher, 30, used this event to open her season in 2008, the best of her career.  Running on a banked track for the first time since 1999, she went low and inside on the final turn to narrowly defeat race leader Sara Hall by just 8/100ths of a second in a personal best 4:36.03.

"This is good," Goucher told Race Results Weekly after last year's race.  "This is why I'm running these races.  I didn't know if I could win here, but I wanted to be competitive."

That victory set the stage for Goucher, the 2007 IAAF World Championships bronze medalist at 10,000m, to win two national titles at 5000m and 10 miles, make the Olympic team in two events, and finish third in New York in the best-ever time by an American debutante: 2:25:53.

The 102nd Millrose Games is scheduled for Friday, January 30.

ENDS