Washington's Katie Flood named Team USA junior women's team captain...

PUNTA UMBRIA, Spain--University of Washington freshman Katie Flood (far left/photo by Paul Merca) was named as one of Team USA's four team captains for Sunday's IAAF World Cross Country Championships at a team meeting Thursday night at the team hotel in the Spanish resort city.

Flood, the Pac-10 cross country newcomer of the year, finished third in the USA junior cross country championships in San Diego last month, running 21:43 over the 6k course at Mission Bay Park to earn her spot on the world championship team.

“I’m honored to be the team captain, and help lead this group of young women,” said Flood, the native of Des Moines, Iowa.


Here's the link to the USA Track & Field release announcing the captains.

Since making the team in San Diego, Flood set a personal best in the 3000, running 9:09.85 at the UW Final Qualifier, and finished 10th in the NCAA indoor 3000 last week in 9:22.59.

The junior women's 6k race will lead off Sunday's IAAF World Cross Country Championships, beginning at 11:30 am in Punta Umbria (3:30 am in Seattle).

Here's a video interview with Flood conducted Thursday night in Punta Umbria.