Keflezighi, Hall, Kastor still on the run

UCLA alumnus Meb Keflezighi, the Athens Olympic marathon silver medalist, isn't getting older -- he's getting better.

Keflezighi, 34, was named USA Track and Field's athlete of the week for setting an American record in the men's 20 kilometers en route to winning the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in San Jose on Sunday.

A 19-time U.S. champion, he registered a 20-km split of 57 minutes 52 seconds, which broke the record of 57:54 that Big Bear native Ryan Hall had set in 2006. Keflezighi won the half-marathon in 1 hour 1 minute, cutting his personal-best time by 25 seconds. It was the third-fastest half-marathon time for an American.

Keflezighi and Hall, who train in Mammoth Lakes, will run the New York City marathon on Nov. 1.

One of their training mates, Athens women's marathon bronze medalist Deena Kastor, is scheduled to run the Chicago Marathon on Sunday. Kastor dropped out of the Beijing Olympic marathon after she felt a pop in her right foot -- and it turned out to be a broken bone.  She's on something of a comeback mission at 36.

-- Helene Elliott

Photo: Meb Keflezighi. Credit: Gregory Bull / Associated Press

More on Beijing doping: cyclist, runner, walker join list

Five down, one to go.

The German cycling federation announced Stefan Schumacher was among those caught. No surprise, because he tested positive for CERA in samples taken during the Tour de France, when he won two time trial stages.

Croation 800-meter runner Vanja Persic also is on the list, a source confirmed. Persic did not advance past the first round in Beijing.

And Greek race walker Athania Tsoumeleka had admitted four months ago she was a CERA positive from Beijing, where she was ninth in the 20K race walk. Tsoumeleka had won that event in the 2004 Olympics. She already was banned by the international track federation after being caught in its retest program.

The International Olympic Committee said six athletes were caught in its Beijing testing. Gold medalist Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain (1,500 meters) and cycling silver medalist Davide Rebellin of Italy (road race) also are known to be among them. 

According to the Associated Press, Rebellin told Italian TV the result was "a mistake.''

-- Philip Hersh

Photo: Stefan Schumacher hangs his head after a 13th place in Beijing time trial. Schumacher is among those to test positive for EPO in the 2008 Olympics.  Credit: Axel Schmitt / Getty Images