Photo of the Weekend: Boston & the Women's Trials

Before the start of Monday's Boston Marathon, someone wrangled up a really cool little photo-op of the top 3 placers in the Women's Olympic Marathon Trials, which were held Sunday, along with women's pioneer and 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist (marathon) Joan Benoit Samuelson, who raced Sunday, clocking 2:49:08, good for 90th. And at age 50, mind you. Of course that kind of photo journalism is going to win Photo of the Weekend.

They are holding the Olympic torch because, L to R, that is your Olympic Team, with Blake Russell (in red) serving as alternate. What's that you say? Samuelson wasn't top 3 at the Trials?

Oh right - our runner-up for Photo of the Weekend honors actually documents that story, capturing Benoit-Samuelson just moments before the ugly incident that moved Russell off the team.

Turns out "Joanie" wasn't so satisfied with just participating on Sunday, and, as you can see here, came to Monday's start -- how do you say? -- "packing." There was a scrum, shots were fired, and when the dust cleared Benoit Samuelson had her ticket to Beijing. Apparently.

Just prior, she had been heard saying, "I'm no geek off the street. I know how to handle the steel, if you know what I mean."

[ both photos Victor Sailer/PhotoRun.net ]