University of Tennessee Athletics
Famiglietti Make U.S. Squad With Second-Place Finish in Steeplechase
July 16, 2004 | Men's Track
July 16, 2004
Former Tennessee All-America Anthony Famiglietti became the third former Vol track and field athlete to make the 2004 United State Olympic team Thursday with a second-place finish in the steeplechase competition.
Three-time NCAA champion Daniel Lincoln pulled away from Famiglietti and 1999 U.S. runner up Robert Gary in the final lap meters of the race. Lincoln's personal best time of 8:15.02 broke Hall of Famer Henry Marsh's Olympic Trials record of 8:15.68, set in 1980, is the fastest time by an American since 2001, and also broke Pascal Dobert's 8:15.77 U.S. Championships record from 2000.
Famiglietti, the 2001 World University Games champion, was second in 8:17.91, with Gary third in 8:19.46. Both were personal-best times.
Famiglietti joins former Vols Tim Mack (pole vault) and Justin Gatlin (100m) on the 2004 Olympic team.
Another former Vol, current world champion Tom Pappas, begins his quest for a second consecutive Olympic team berth Friday when the decathlon competition begins. Gatlin is also one of the favorites in the 200-meter dash in Sunday's competition.
