So were the words of the USATF track and field committe chairman John Chaplin last Thursday in regard to Ritzenhein\'s acceptance into the national meet later next month. Although the prep stud missed the 5000m mark by only a few feet, - or .19 seconds to be precise - Chaplin \"will be glad to take him.\"
While high scool track fans have become ecstatic with the news, there will naturally be some who argue against Ritzenhein\'s acceptance. In the past, there have been distance runners to miss qualifying times by just as little, if not less, than Ritzenhein did, and were NOT accepted. But, as Tim Layden says, \"This isn\'t about numbers...This is about a sport that remains constantly in need of fresh faces and new stars.\" To see the whole story, go to CNN Sports Illustrated.