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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 15, 2016</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">Contact – Brendan Sullivan (401) 865- 1245</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><u><span style="font-family:Arial">Former Friar Julian Matthews Set to Begin Olympic Campaign</span></u></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-family:Arial">Matthews will compete in the opening round of the 1,500 meters.</span></i></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Arial">Providence, R.I. – </span>
</b><span style="font-family:Arial"> </span><span style="font-size:9pt; font-family:Arial; color:rgb(34,34,34)"> </span><span style="font-family:Arial; color:rgb(34,34,34)">Former Providence College track and cross country standout </span><span style="font-family:Arial"><a href="http://www.friars.com/sports/m-track/mtt/julian_matthews_459856.html"><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102); text-decoration:none">Julian
Matthews</span></a></span><span style="font-family:Arial; color:rgb(34,34,34)"> ’13 will begin his campaign at 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics tomorrow (Aug. 16). Matthews (Nelson, New Zealand) will run in the opening round of the 1,500 meters for New
Zealand. The first heat will begin at 9:30 am EDT. </span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial; color:rgb(34,34,34)">Matthews will become the 18th Friar to run in the Olympics. Over the years, Friar athletes have competed in 33 events in track. In 2012, former Friars Kim Smith (Marathon), </span><span style="font-family:Arial"><a href="http://www.friars.com/sports/m-track/mtt/stephanie_reilly_946213.html"><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102); text-decoration:none">Stephanie
Reilly</span></a></span><span style="font-family:Arial; color:rgb(34,34,34)"> (3,000 Meter Steeplechase) and </span><span style="font-family:Arial"><a href="http://www.friars.com/sports/m-track/mtt/dylan_wykes_125357.html"><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102); text-decoration:none">Dylan
Wykes</span></a></span><span style="font-family:Arial; color:rgb(34,34,34)"> (Marathon) competed in the Summer Olympics in London. Former Friar John Treacy ‘78 captured a silver medal for Ireland in the Marathon at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Matthews qualified for the New Zealand team after running a 1,500 time of 3:36.14. It will mark his first appearance at the Olympic Games.</span><span style="font-family:Arial"></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:Arial; color:#222222">As a Friar, Matthews was a three-time All-American. He earned two All-America honors in the indoor mile (2011, 2013) and one All-America accolade in the outdoor 1,500 meters (2011).
Over his four years at Providence College he won two BIG EAST titles, one for the indoor 1,000 meters in 2013, and one as a member of the distance medley team that captured the BIG EAST Indoor Championship in 2012.</span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in 0in 0.0001pt"><span style="font-family:Arial; color:#222222">The first round of the 1,500 meter will be broadcast on www.nbcsports.com or on the NBC Live Extra app, on August 16th at 9:30 am EDT. The opening rounds also will be shown on
NBC Sports, with coverage beginning at 8:00 am EDT, or on NBC, with coverage beginning at 10:00 am EDT.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial">Live Stream - <a href="http://www.nbcolympics.com/track-and-field">http://www.nbcolympics.com/track-and-field</a>
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