I grew up watching meets at Hayward Field and this race captures the "magic" that has historically characterized that place. An Oregon sweep (1-2-3) in a distance event at the Trials is amazing, and the dive at the finish is even more amazing.
Oregon athletes sweep mens 800; Jill Geer Director of Communications USA Track & Field 317-713-4663
EUGENE, Ore. - The Hayward Field East grandstand roared Monday night with an intensity that may have awakened even the late Steve Prefontaine.
The occasion?
The men's 800 had been a highlight of each day of competition as University of Oregon and/or Oregon Track Club athletes filled the qualifying rounds. Monday's final featured three such athletes: the University of Oregon's Andrew Wheating and Oregon Track Club runners Nick Symmonds and Christian Smith.
The first 700 meters gave no indication that a Eugene sweep was in the making. As is his wont, Khadevis Robinson took the pace out hard, passing 200m in 24.1 seconds. After 1 lap, the four-time national champion led a surprisingly dense pack through in 50.33.
With 300 to go, Lopez Lomong moved up on Robinson's shoulder, but it wasn't until the final 90 meters that the race cleared itself up. Off the curve, Symmonds launched the heroic kick that gave him the Nike Prefontaine Classic title in 2007, and he went on to win in commanding style, in 1:44.10. Behind him, some surged while others faded. When the smoke cleared, Wheating -a Vermont native who only took up track in 2006 - had moved up to second in 1:45.03, with Smith third in 1:45.47 - a time that gave him the Olympic "A" standard of 1:46.00 as he dove for the line. Robinson ended fourth in 1:45.53, with Lomong sixth in 1:45.58.
The top three finishers in each event at these Olympic Trials, who have met Olympic performance standards, will earn the ultimate prize of a spot on the Team USA roster for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
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Oregon athletes sweep mens 800;
Jill Geer
Director of Communications
USA Track & Field
317-713-4663
EUGENE, Ore. - The Hayward Field East grandstand roared Monday night with an intensity that may have awakened even the late Steve Prefontaine.
The occasion?
The men's 800 had been a highlight of each day of competition as University of Oregon and/or Oregon Track Club athletes filled the qualifying rounds. Monday's final featured three such athletes: the University of Oregon's Andrew Wheating and Oregon Track Club runners Nick Symmonds and Christian Smith.
The first 700 meters gave no indication that a Eugene sweep was in the making. As is his wont, Khadevis Robinson took the pace out hard, passing 200m in 24.1 seconds. After 1 lap, the four-time national champion led a surprisingly dense pack through in 50.33.
With 300 to go, Lopez Lomong moved up on Robinson's shoulder, but it wasn't until the final 90 meters that the race cleared itself up. Off the curve, Symmonds launched the heroic kick that gave him the Nike Prefontaine Classic title in 2007, and he went on to win in commanding style, in 1:44.10. Behind him, some surged while others faded. When the smoke cleared, Wheating -a Vermont native who only took up track in 2006 - had moved up to second in 1:45.03, with Smith third in 1:45.47 - a time that gave him the Olympic "A" standard of 1:46.00 as he dove for the line. Robinson ended fourth in 1:45.53, with Lomong sixth in 1:45.58.
The top three finishers in each event at these Olympic Trials, who have met Olympic performance standards, will earn the ultimate prize of a spot on the Team USA roster for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
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