Boardman grad Mannozzi places 5th at Olympic Trials

Staff report

EUGENE, ORE.

Boardman High graduate Michael Mannozzi finished fifth in the 20,000-meter race walk at Saturday’s U.S. Olympic Trials, coming up short in his attempt to earn a bid to the London Olympics.

Mannozzi, competing for the Miami Valley Track Club, finished in 1:34.12.48, a little more than 10 minutes short of the automatic qualifying time.

Trevor Barron (New York Athletic Club) took first with a U.S. and meet record time of 1:23.00.10. Tim Seaman (NYAC), who placed second in 1:27.29.48, held the previous record of 1:23.40.00.

Ten competitors finished the event out of an original field of 13. One was disqualified, one did not finish and one did not start.

Mannozzi, who would have needed to drop his personal-best time by about 10 minutes to earn an automatic bid, has been targeting the 2016 Olympics as a more realistic goal.

To contribute to the Michael Mannozzi Olympic Dream fund, visit his Facebook page or MichaelMannozzi.com.

Trebilcock competes

OMAHA, Neb.

Canfield High graduate Garrett Trebilcock placed 101st out of 122 swimmers in the preliminaries of the 100-meter butterfly at Saturday’s U.S. Olympic Trials.

Trebilcock, who just finished his sophomore year at Ohio State, finished in 55.58. Michael Phelps was first with a time of 51.80.

Friday, Trebilcock placed 51st out of 116 swimmers in the preliminaries of the 200 individual medley.

“I would have to say this was definitely the most exciting swimming experience I have ever been a part of,” Trebilcock wrote in a text on Saturday afternoon. “I was more nervous walking up to the block in Omaha for a prelim swim final than I ever was for a state final.

“It was everything I hoped it would be — exciting, memorable and fast! It was truly an amazing experience that I will never forget.”