Symmonds Comes From Behind to Lead Oregon Sweep in 800m Final
Posted July 1st, 2008 at 1:26 AM by Adam Jacobs
Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics
Image details: U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials - Day Four served by picapp.com
The Men’s 800m final at the 2008 US Olympic Trials delivered on its promise as one of the most competitive races of the meet. Willamette grad, OTC runner, and TheFinalSprint.com Elite Athlete Blogger Nick Symmonds won the race in a blistering 1:44.10 and was followed by Oregon’s Andrew Wheating (1:45.03) and OTC member Christian Smith (1:45.47). The three will represent the US in Beijing as all three ran under the Olympic A standard of 1:46.00.
Tonight’s race began with four time National champ Khadevis Robinson leading the field through a brisk first lap. The field was still tightly bunched at that point with Symmonds and Wheating notably lurking in the back. 2004 Olympic Trials champion Jonathon Johnson came up on Robinson at the halfway point and continued to push the pace, with Lopez Lomong and USC’s Duane Solomon also in the mix. With 200m to go, Robinson continued to lead and it appeared that Symmonds was badly boxed in the back. Symmonds patiently waited and exploded through a small gap with about 150 to go, catapulting past the field and flying down the home stretch to an impressive victory.
Meanwhile Andrew Wheating (a college sophomore at UO and the NCAA runner-up, who just three years ago was pursuing a soccer career) was putting together a late-race kick of his own. Wheating went by the rest of the field on the outside and was a convincing second behind Symmonds. Finally, the third spot came down to an incredible battle between Smith, Robinson, Lomong, and Solomon. Christian Smith literally dove over the finish line to nab the last Olympic spot over the also diving Khadevis Robinson.
If there was an underdog in this race it was certainly Smith, as he started his season slowly before peaking at the right time. He was the only runner in the final who had not attained the Olympic A standard, but that changed with his magnificent performance tonight.
After the race, a raucous Hayward Field crowd saluted its three hometown heroes as they took a victory lap. Although American medal hopes are in good hands with this mighty Oregon contingent, Robinson will be sorely missed.
1 Nicholas Symmonds OTC/Nike 1:44.10
2 Andrew Wheating Oregon 1:45.03
3 Christian Smith OTC/Nike 1:45.47
4 Khadevis Robinson Nike 1:45.53
5 Lopez Lomong Nike 1:45.58
6 Duane Solomon U S C 1:45.78
7 Jebreh Harris Reebok 1:46.21
8 Jonathan Johnson Reebok 1:48.11
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Tags: Eugene, hayward field, nicholas symmonds, Nick Symmonds, Olympic Trials, oregon, Team USA, track & field trials, track and field, track trials, Tracktrials08coverage, u.s. olympic track & field trials
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