The event is Feb. 29 at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta.
Former California University of Pennsylvania standout Aaron Dinzeo will compete in
the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the Marathon on Feb. 29 at Centennial Olympic
Park in Atlanta.
Dinzeo, a 2015 graduate with a degree in anthropology, qualified for the Olympic Trials
after reaching the 'B Standard' in the marathon in December at the California International
Marathon in Sacramento when he posted a time of 2 hours, 18 minutes, 13 seconds (average
pace 5:17 per mile).
Male runners must post a marathon time under 2:19:00 between Sept. 1, 2017 and Jan.
19, 2020, or a half marathon time under 1:04:00 between Sept. 1, 2018 and Jan. 19,
2020, in order to qualify to compete at the Olympic Trials. The total number of men
in the United States that met those standards for this year's trials was only 260.
The top-three finishers in the race, which will be televised live on NBC beginning
at 12 p.m., will be named to the U.S. Olympic Team for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympic
Games. Reigning Olympic marathon trials champion Galen Rupp headlines the field in
Atlanta after winning the bronze medal in the marathon at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro
Olympic Games.
Dinzeo competes with New England Distance, which is a non-profit organization that
offers top-level track athletes training assistance in return for promoting exercise
and other programs for underprivileged youth. He works with after-school programs,
provides mentorship, coaching and serves as a positive role model.
Originally from Monroeville, Pa., Dinzeo was a seven-time NCAA All-American in cross
country and track & field while competing for the Vulcans from 2010-15. He finished
as the runner-up at the 2014 NCAA Cross Country National Championships and became
the university's first College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic
All-American of the Year during his senior year. Dinzeo still holds the all-time Pennsylvania
State Athletic Conference (PSAC) record in the 10K, which he set while competing at
the Stanford Invitational in 2014.