Courtesy: USATF

Five of the top American distance runners have been selected to represent Team USA at the IAAF World Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Edmonton Canada, USA Track & Field announced on Friday. Named to the men's marathon team are Khalid Khannouchi, David Morris, Josh Cox, Eddy Hellebuyck and Mike Dudley. An alternate will be announced at a later time.

Khannouchi, the world and U.S. marathon record holder (2:05:42 and 2:07:01) will be representing Team USA for the first time. A native of Morocco, he moved to Brooklyn, NY in 1993 and within three years, he was a top world-class runner. In 1998 and 1999, Khannouchi earned the #1 world road running ranking. The three-time winner of the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon (1997, 1999-00) became a U.S. citizen on May 2, 2000; he set the world and U.S. marathon records at Chicago in 1999 and 2000 respectively. He also is currently the only male to have three marathon performances in the top 20 all-time list.

Morris, the second fastest American marathoner last year after Khannouchi, qualified for the U.S. marathon team with his 2:12:00 at the 2000 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. In 1999, he set the U.S. marathon record in a PR 2:09:32 at Chicago, fourth overall. The Montana graduate won the 1997 USA Half-Marathon (Parkersburg) and 1993 NCAA Indoor 3000m titles.

Cox had his breakthough season in 2000 when he ran his marathon PR time of 2:13:55, the fourth fastest American for the year, at the LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon. The Liberty University graduate, who is part of the Fila Discovery USA program, was the youngest qualifier (24) at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials. He finished 14th at the 2001 Boston Marathon (2:16:17).

In February, Hellebuyck, a winner of 21 marathons, won the 3M Austin Half-Marathon (1:04:13). Later in March, he set U.S. masters records at 10K (29:37, Azalea Trail) and 15K (45:10, Gate River) and in April, he won his first USA Masters title at Carlsbad 5000 (14:34).

The former Belgian citizen who became a U.S. citizen on April 23, 1999, was a member of the 1999 U.S. World Championships marathon team (26th overall). The Albuquerque resident represented Belgium at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in the marathon. His marathon PR is 2:11:50 (Antwerp 1994).

Dudley, 2001 and 1994 Las Vegas Marathon winner, set his marathon PR (2:14:37) at Cal International in 1999. In 2000, the West Virginia graduate finished second at Cal Int'l (2:16:54) to earn his trip to Edmonton.

The IAAF World Outdoor Track and Field Championships will take place in Edmonton, Canada. The men's marathon race will kick off the Championships on August 3 with the winner crossing the finish line during the opening ceremonies. USATF will announce the women's marathon team at a later date.