HALFWAY into the US men's Olympic marathon trials, Ryan Hall broke away from the field. Running under 63 minutes for the second half of an undulating course around New York's Central Park, the 25-year-old American established himself as one of the favourites for the Beijing Olympic marathon.

Tall — for a distance runner, at least — blond and athletic, as he flowed around Central Park, Hall looked every inch the quintessential California boy that he is. As much at home riding a surfboard, you'd imagine, as grinding out a marathon.