Marks eliminated in triple jump; Goucher takes 10th in 10,000 meters

Olympics Day 7 - Athletics
Kara Goucher, left, a native of Duluth, and Kimberley Smith of New Zealand compete in the Women's 10,000 meter final at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Gouncher finished 10th.
Stu Forster/Getty Images

Minnesota track and field athlete Shani Marks failed to qualify for the Olympic finals in the triple jump event today, ending her Olympic competition this year.

Marks finished 28th in the qualifying round, and only the top 12 finishers advance to the finals. Her longest jump was 44 feet, 1-1/4 inches, which is well below the 47 feet 2-1/4 inch mark she set at the U.S. Olympic trials in July.

Shani Marks
Minnesotan Shani Marks during the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials on June 29, 2008 in Eugene, Ore. Marks failed to qualify Friday for the finals in the triple jump at the Beijing Olympics.
Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Marks grew up in Apple Valley and also competed for the Minnesota Gophers. She now lives in Brooklyn Park.

Duluth native Kara Goucher finished in 10th place in the 10,000 meter race, with a time of 30 minutes, 55.16 seconds -- a personal best. Goucher, 30, is also scheduled to compete in the 5,000 meter race. The preliminary rounds of that event are on Tuesday.

Ali Bernard, from New Ulm, begins competing in the women's wrestling events tomorrow, when the qualifying matches in her division get underway.

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