Hansons' Runner Desiree Davila Earns Spot on U.S. Olympic Team

earned a spot on the women’s U.S. Marathon Olympic team today with a time of 2:25:55 at the Olympic trials in Houston, TX.

Davila, a 28-year-old San Diego native, moved to Michigan six years ago to train with the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, said assistant coach Don Jackson of Royal Oak.

“(Davila) definitely made it a race today,” Jackson said of the 5-foot 3-inch athlete.

“She didn’t want it to be a tactical race where it wasn’t very fast,” Jackson said. “She wanted it to be an honest race — a race she could live with and respect afterward.”

Davila, who has been running for 15 years, is the first female Olympian to come out of the club, Jackson said. She is the club’s second marathon Olympian since Brian Sell in 2008.

The Hansons-Brooks Distance Project was started by Kevin and Keith Hanson, owners of in Royal Oak.

“Our customer base in Royal Oak is a big part of the project,” Jackson said. “If the store wasn’t successful, Kevin and Keith would not be able to pour money into this project. This today was the fruit for them.”

Shalane Flanagan, of Portland, OR, won the women's Olympic trial.