North Yarmouth native Ben True and former Bangor High School running standout Riley Masters each advanced to the final of the 5,000-meter run after qualifying in the same semifinal heat during the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Monday night in Eugene, Oregon.
True finished third in the semifinal heat to earn a berth as the top six in each heat qualify for Saturday’s final in a 16-man field. Four positions also are awarded to the four fastest times outside of the top six in each heat, and Masters advanced with the second fastest time of those four.
After the heats in in the 5,000 were held, the 800-meter finals were held, and former Lewiston High star Isaiah Harris turned in a strong effort but finished sixth in the nine-man field with a time of 1 minute, 46.47 seconds, failing to earn one of the three top finishes for a berth on the U.S. Olympic team.
In the first 5,000 heat, True consistently stayed in the lead pack of the 12-man field, frequently in the third position, during a strategic race and turned in a time of 13:48.11.
Masters finished seventh in 13:49.75, narrowly missing the sixth place that went to Diego Estrada (13:48.71).
Masters put on a hard sprint for the final 200 meters and passed several runners, but it wasn’t enough to catch Estrada.
Masters and True ran shoulder-to-shoulder during an early lap in the race.
William Kincaid won the heat with a 13:47.86 clocking, and Ryan Hill finished second in 13:47.89. Also advancing to the final were Jeff See (13:48.28) and Shadrack Kipchirchir (13:48.58).
In the 800 final, Harris surged into the third-place spot on the first lap and held it until the final 100 meters when he was passed by three runners.
Clayton Murphy finished first with a time of 1:44.76 and will be joined on the U.S. team by Boris Berian (1:44.92) and Charles Jock (1:45.48).