Win in Athens Earns Torrance Runner a Position on Goodwill Games Team

Leslie Lewis of Torrance, who began running just five years ago, was among three women marathoners named this week to the U.S. team that will compete July 22 in the Goodwill Games in Seattle.

Lewis, 35, was selected by The Athletics Congress women’s long-distance committee for her victory in last October’s Athens Marathon, which she ran in a personal best of 2 hours, 37 minutes and 42 seconds.

“I am very excited and surprised about being selected for the Goodwill Games,” Lewis said. “I’m shooting for the Olympic Trials, and this is my Olympics.”

Lewis, who also won the 1989 Santa Monica Half-Marathon, said her Goodwill Games goal is to run at least 2:35, which would qualify her for the 1992 Olympic Trials.

The other members of the U. S. Goodwill Games team are Linda Somers of Davis and Rose Gutierrez of San Jose.