University of Albany's R.J. Sniffen Competes in 5,000-Meter Run at USA Junior Nationals - UAlbany Sports 2009

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Eugene, Ore. – University at Albany’s R.J. Sniffen placed 23rd in the men’s 5,000-meter run final at the USA Junior Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Sunday, June 28 at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field. The junior national competition, with athletes ranging from 14 to 19 years-old, is the qualifying meet for the 2009 Pan American Junior Athletics Championships which will be held at the Hasley Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad from July 31 through August 2.

Sniffen, an all-state second-team cross country selection at Shaker who qualified for the national competition by registering a mark of 8:31.12 in the 3,000 at the Great Dane Classic this winter, crossed the tape in 16:01.39. Oklahoma State’s Colby Lowe, who placed 17th at the NCAA Championships two weeks ago, won the event in 14:31.27, while Virginia’s Sean Keveren also qualified for the Pan American Junior Athletics Championships for finishing second in 14:38.30.

Sniffen was the sixth and final Great Dane to compete at the four-day meet this weekend. Triple jumpers Jenn Gurrant, Mike McCadney and Nasim Siddeeq as well as 400-meter hurdlers Alie Beauvais and Joe Greene all competed at the senior level over the first three days of competition.

“This weekend concluded our dream year,” said head coach Roberto Vives, whose men’s and women’s teams combined to win five conference championships. “It was a huge step forward for our program, and we are doing all the right things. Our kids really stepped forward as individuals as well as athletes this year, and most importantly, they represented the school in a first-class manner.”

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Junior Men’s 5,000-Meter Run: 1. Colby Lowe (Oklahoma State) 14:31.27, 2. Sean Keveren (Virginia) 14:38.30, 3. Trevor Dunbar (Kodiak H.S., Alaska) 14:43.98, 4. Griffith Graves (Syracuse) 14:50.00, 5. Kevin Burnett (Texas A&M) 14:53.69, 6. Jim Walmsley (Air Force) 14:59.66, 7. Thomas Porter (Mountain View H.S., Va.) 15:05.49, 8. Conner Peloquin (Gig Harbor H.S., Wash.) 15:07.04, 23. R.J. Sniffen (UAlbany) 16:01.39.