Ferris State Alum Curtis Begley Qualifies For U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials

Big Rapids, Mich. - Former Ferris State University runner Curtis Begley achieved success over the weekend as he qualified for the 2016 United States Olympic Trials in the marathon.

Begley, who competed in both cross country along with track and field for the Bulldogs from 2005-09, placed 15th overall in the California International Marathon over the weekend. He topped his personal record by five minutes while clocking 2:17.37, which finished 22 seconds under the Olympic trials qualifying standard. The 27-year old Begley averaged 5:16 per mile in the race.

A member of the Boulder (Colo.) Track Club, Begley earned a qualifying invitation to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, which will take place in Los Angeles (Calif.) for the marathon in February 2016. The 2016 Summer Olympics will take place in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

A total of more than 9,000 runners started the 2014 California International Marathon on Sunday (Dec. 7), which ran from Folsom to Sacramento. The fast-paced marathon, in its 32nd year, ended in downtown Sacramento at the state capitol.

Overall, Begley was 15th of 5,802 finishers and among 3,231 racers in the men's division.

During his Bulldog career, Begley was a key member of both the Bulldogs' cross country along with track and field programs. He earned team Most Improved Runner Award laurels and was an all-academic honoree in three sports as a collegiate student-athlete - cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. He also received FSU's Bulldog Award as a senior for his efforts in cross country.

Since his FSU career, Begley has continued to compete professionally and has placed among the top 50 in the Chicago Marathon, third in the Rock N Roll Chicago Half Marathon along with first in the Boulder Distance Classic.

The Scarborough, Ontario, native is a 2010 Ferris State University graduate with a degree in resort management and presently resides in Boulder, Colo. He works for Marriott Hotels.