FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

"Four Michigan runner's qualify at Grandma's" Duluth, MN - The 1999 Grandma's Marathon proved to be a great day for four Michigan runner's in their quest to make the 2000 United States Olympic Team. Ann Boyd Stewart, Laura Murphy, and Laura Bell all earned a spot to run in the U.S. Olympic Women's Marathon in Columbia, SC on February 26, 2000. University of Detroit/Mercy Cross Country and Track Coach Guy Murray earned a spot in the Men's Marathon trials to be held in Pittsburgh, PA on May 7, 2000. Ann Arbor's Ann Stewart ran a time of 2:41:22 to place 11th overall and qualify for full expenses to the Women's Marathon trials. Rochester's Laura Murphy and Otisville's Laura Bell placed 30th and 37th in times of 2:48:04 and 2:49:03 respectively. Murphy and Bell qualified under the B standard which gains them entry into the Marathon trials without expenses. The women's qualifying standards are "A" standard for full expenses = (2:42:00 or faster) and "B" standard for entry only = (2:42:01 to 2:50:00) both standard by January 23, 2000. Stewart, Murphy, and Bell join Lori Stich and Kathy Rink as the five women who have currently qualified from Michigan. Lori Stich of Stanwood qualified with a time 2:48:41 at the California International Marathon December 6th, 1998. Bloomfield Hills' Kathy Rink qualified October 18th, 1998 at the Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Bank Marathon in a time of 2:49:12. Farmington Hills' Guy Murray placed 19th overall running a time of 2:21:18 to qualify for an entry only to the U.S. Olympic Marathon trials in May 1999. Murray will join Fred Bunn, Keith Stopen, and Nicholas Watson. Fred Bunn of Grand Rapids ran 2:20:58 and Framington Hills' Keith Stopen ran 2:21:25 at last year Grandma's Marathon. Nicholas Watson of St Joseph ran 2:21:30 October 11th, 1998 at the LaSalle Banks Chicago Marathon. The men's qualifying standard's are "A" standard for full expenses = (2:20:00 or faster) and the "B" standard for entry only = (2:20:01 to 2:22:00). The 2000 Olympic Women's marathon will be held on Saturday, September 23, 2000 and the Olympic Men's marathon will be held Sunday, October 1, 2000 in Sydney, Australia. MICHIGAN QUALIFIERS: MEN: 19 14 M 19-34 GUY R MURRAY FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 2:21:18 5:24 WOMEN: 11 4 F 35-39 ANN B STEWART ANN ARBOR, MI 2:41:22 6:10 30 8 F 35-39 LAURA M MURPHY ROCHESTER, MI 2:48:04 6:25 37 24 F 19-34 LAURA BELL OTISVILLE, MI 2:49:03 6:27 COMPLETE RESULTS FROM GRANDMA'S MARATHON WOMEN | MEN # # #