June 22, 1999

Wake Forest will be well represented in this week's U.S. National Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore. Competition will begin Wednesday and end Saturday.

In addition to distance-star Nolan Swanson and assistant coach Chris Huffins, the contingent from Winston-Salem will include runners from Wake Forest head track coach John Goodridge's Nike Club East team.

Swanson, the 1999 ACC track athlete of the year, will compete in the 10,000 meters. Huffins, who won the decathlon in last year's U.S. National Championships, will try to defend his title in that event. Huffins currently holds the second best mark in the U.S. in that event.

Jon Russell, a former Wake Forest distance runner who is a member of Nike Club East, will compete in the steeplechase. Russell, who graduated from Wake Forest in 1998, has already qualified for the Olympic Trials in the steeplechase.

Swanson culminated a memorable senior season at Wake Forest by winning the 5,000 meters and the steeplechase at the ACC Championships and by finishing fourth in the 10,000 meters at the NCAA Championships. He ran the 10,000 in 28:31.51 during the regular season, which is the 12th fastest time in the event in the U.S. this season.

Swanson will be trying to break 29 minutes in the 10,000, which would qualify him for next summer's U.S. Olympic Trials. His previous best of 28:31.51 came before the qualifying window set by the U.S. Olympic Federation. Swanson could qualify directly for the Olympics by running a 28:28 and being one of the top three runners in that event in the nation.