Two of the nation’s top 800-meter runners, Nick Symmonds and Khadevis Robinson, each won their heat in the semifinal round of the U.S. Olympic Trials.
In the first heat, Robinson ran a 1:46.14, followed by Oregon’s Andrew Wheating (1:46.23) and Jonathan Johnson (1:46.28). Jebreh Harris was the last to qualify with 1:46.29).
Symmonds gave the crowd a good show, running in the back of the pack and then making his move with his signature finishing kick. His time of 1:45.61 was the fastest of the semifinals. Duane Solomon (1:45.82) Christian Smith (1:46.02), and Lopez Lomong (1:46.16). University of Texas runner Jacob Hernandez just missed qualifying with 1:46.16.
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The women’s 800-meter semifinals saw some tough competition. As expected, Alice Schmidt got out fast and stayed in front during the first heat. The real action occurred behind Schmidt as Becky Horn tripped near the 300-meter mark and caused a four-person pile-up. The crowd cheered as they immediately got right back up.
Schmidt won the first heat in 2:03.27, followed by Maggie Vessey (2:03.81) and Nikeya Green (2.03.90). The entire field of athletes in the first heat will advance due to the crash.
The second heat included high school sophomore Laura Roesler. She shows great potential with her 2:06.82 time. Those who qualified in the second heat were Morgan Uceny (2:02.10), Hazel Clark (2:02.14), Katie Waits (2:02.38), and Geena Gall (2:03.3).Uceny ran an outstanding race considering she was recently injured.
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Welcome to the official blog of elite American middle-distance runner Nick Symmonds. Be sure to check every other Monday at http://nicksymmonds.thefinalsprint.com/ for Nick’s latest entry! For more information about Nick, also please visit: www.nicksymmonds.com
Ive always tried to keep my mind focused on my most immediate competition and generally to keep it from drifting towards thoughts of other upcoming races. I find that if I get caught up in thinking about the Trials or the Olympics or any other race, I’m distracted from the
nearest challenge and the valuable opportunities it may present to learn and grow as an athlete.
So now, with my last race before the trails out of the way, I am finally free to let my mind focus on what I need to do in the prelims. At this point there is not a whole lot more I can do to build my strength and only a little more sharpening to do on the speed side. Really, I am just going to try and get as much rest as I can and make sure that on June 27th my legs are as fresh as possible. I know now that the most important thing I can do to be prepared is to just take care of my body and do my best to ensure that nothing tragic happens.
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Yesterday I posted the first edition of my World Points Standings, the men’s sprints. Today I continue with the men’s distance events.
800 meters
1. Abuber Kaki Khamis, 75
2. David Lekuta Rudisha, 63
3. Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, 59
4. Abraham Chepkirwok, 53
5. Yusuf Saad Kamel, 46
5. Alfred Kirwa Yego, 46
7. Dmitrijs Milkevics, 35
8. Khadevis Robinson, 32
9. Richard Kiplagat, 30
10. Dmitriy Bogdanov, 29
Our two great newcomers, Kaki and Rudisha, are head and shoulders above the rest.
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Bislett Games To Wean Golden League Million Dollar List
That list of contenders for the Golden League million dollar jackpot always looks impressive after the first meet of the year. It only starts becoming meaningful, though, after the second meet, because only undefeated athletes can contend for the million dollar prize. The list below should be quite a bit shorter after this weekend’s Bislett Games, the 2nd installment of the six-meet series:
Men
100m - Nesta Carter (JAM)
400m - LaShawn Merritt (USA)
1500m - Augustine Choge (KEN)
400m Hurdles - Bershawn Jackson (USA)
Long Jump - Hussein Al-Sabee (KSA)
Javelin Throw - Tero Pitkämäki (FIN)
Women
200m - Sherone Simpson (JAM)
800m - Pamela Jelimo (KEN)
100m Hurdles - Josephine Onyia (ESP)
High Jump - Blanka Vlasic (CRO)
IAAF
Gatlin Decision To Be Published On Friday
Track fans around the world will know the fate of disgraced sprinter Justin Gatlin by Friday afternoon when the CAS publishes its decision. Gatlin is hoping o get a two-year reduction of his four-year suspension, which would make him eligible to try qualifying for the US Olympic Trials which will be held later this month in Eugene, Oregon.
AFP
Adam Goucher: Kara In Best Shape Of Her Life
As Kara Goucher prepares to face world-record holder Meseret Defar in the Prefonaine Classic 5000m, her husband Adam has stated that she is “strong. Hands down, the best shape of her life. So strong, and ready to go. It’s going to be a great year.”
USA Today
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Welcome to the official blog of elite American middle-distance runner Nick Symmonds. Be sure to check every other Monday at http://nicksymmonds.thefinalsprint.com/ for Nick’s latest entry! For more information about Nick, also please visit: www.nicksymmonds.com
With the state of my physical and mental well being left to much interpretation in my last blog, I thought I would take this opportunity to update everyone on how things are going here in Eugene, Oregon. After getting my knee sliced open at the Adidas Track Classic I returned home panicked and not totally sure what was going to happen to my season. I slept very poorly that night, woke up, and throwing all rational thought aside, decided to run 8 miles on my freshly sewed up knee. Crazy thing was, I felt great. My knee felt numb but did not bother me on this jog and I thought things were going to be just fine. However, once I got back home my knee began to swell and ache and ooze due to all the stress I had put on it.
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The Week In the Rear View is a weekly column wrapping up the week’s events in running and track & field. I am normally found at PreraceJitters.com, writing about the fast life of track and field.
Everyone in the track world is talking about Usain “Lightening” Bolt. He shut ‘em down—literally! Bolt quieted his critics with a 9.72 seconds World Record performance with World Champion Tyson Gay in the race. Tyson Gay looked in good shape for this time of season running 9.85, which was good enough for second. Doesn’t that sound crazy? Bolt is now the favorite in Beijing, but two months is certainly a long time from now.
You could call it the law of averages. The Jeremy Wariner vs. LaShawn Merritt race in Berlin resulted in the end of Wariner’s winning streak that dates back to 2005. Merritt was superb. He executed a perfect race strategy to deliver the win. Before the media writes the early demise of Wariner, it should be noted that he isn’t in top shape, not yet—that will be in Beijing.
Walter Dix Advances To 100m and 200m Finals at NCAA East Regional
FSU senior Walter Dix has been hampered by a hamstring injury all season so it’s no wonder he coasted to the finish line in both the 100m and the 200m heats at the 2008 NCAA East Regional Championships. In fact, he finished 3rd behind his FSU teammates. With Dix’s help, the Seminoles are in good position to win their 4th straight NCAA East Regional team championship.
More: Tampa Tribune
Aussie Tamsyn Lewis Prefers Stiff Competition
Surprise world indoor 800m champ Tamsyn Lewis of Australia begins her outdoor campaign by facing 2007 outdoor champ Janeth Jepkosgei of Kenya at the DKB-ISTAF 2008, an IAAF Golden League meet in Berlin . Her reasoning? “I’d prefer to be in a field like that than an easier race. The only way to get ready for the Olympic Games is to race against these women some time. It might as well be now.”
More: The Age, Australia
Kara Goucher Aims For Olympic “A” Standard Tonight
The USATF recently announced that all Team USA athletes must have met their Olympic “A” standards either before or during the Olympic Trials, not after. It is much easier to achieve that standard without the added pressure of having to claim one of three spots in a major competition. That may be why Kara Goucher has decided to go for her “A” standard of 31:45 in the 10000m at a low-key meet in Oregon tonight. Galen Rupp will be running the 5000m.
The Oregonian
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IAAF May Change Doping Rules
AP writer Raf Casert has reported that the IAAF is considering the possibility if changing its doping rules in the wake of the Trevor Graham trial. Olympic gold medalist Antonio Pettigrew admitted to having doped since 1997 which would have put him beyond the reach of the current IAAF doping rules. Current IAAF doping rules stipulate that retroactive sanctions can only go back 8 years.
More: WRAL
Wariner Says Golden League Schedule Will Benefit Him
Defending Olympic 400m Gold Medalist Jeremy Wariner has mapped out an ambitious season for himself. He wants to win another gold medal or two (400m and 4×400m relay), break Michael Johnson’s 400m world record of 43.18 and, to top it all off, he wants to win the million dollar Golden League jackpot. He’s got his work cut out for himself, but, according to an article by the Press Association, the 24-year-old Waco, Texas resident believes the timing of the Golden League events will benefit him. “We felt it was a great opportunity to get some competitions in before then (the US trials and Olympics)… It will allow myself to prepare mentally and physically for both big contests.”
More: Press Association
Jordan Hasay Eyes 3200m 4-Peat
Mission Prep (San Luis Obispo, CA) junior Jordan Hasay is going for a 3-peat of the 3200m California state title this weekend. But the ambitious 16-year-old runner is already contemplating doing something no other California high schooler has ever done: winning the state title in the 3200m run 4 years in a row.
Times Press Recorder, CA
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After her stunning breakout performance at the FBK Games in Hengelo last Saturday, Pamela Jelimo can be forgiven for getting just a little bit ahead of herself.
Moments after her brilliant 1:55.76 run, a world junior record and the fastest 800m in the world in five years, the 19-year-old told reporters that her next outing would come at Sunday’s AF Golden League opener in Berlin.
But as Kenyan media are reporting, Athletics Kenya, the country’s governing body, may have other ideas. Aiming to keep their latest star fresh for the Olympic Games, the federation apparently hasn’t granted permission for her to compete, requesting instead that she report to a pre-Olympic training camp post haste.
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2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field: Week 1
The 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field season officially kicks off in fine style this weekend with 38 (count ‘em, 38!) meets throughout the country. The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association has links to all of them on their website. Schedules like this one […]
James McIlroy, an 800m semi-finalist at both the 2000 Olympic Games and 2005 World Championships, has decided to retire citing a lack of financial and medical support.
“Ideally, it would have been nice to continue through to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, but every sportsperson comes to this crossroads,” said the Northern Irish athlete […]
Welcome to the official blog of elite American middle-distance runner Nick Symmonds. Make sure to check every other Monday at http://nicksymmonds.thefinalsprint.com/ for Nick’s latest entry! For more information about Nick, also please visit: www.nicksymmonds.com
I am currently sitting in a cafe in Oviedo, a small city in the north of Spain and I’m thinking […]
USA Reigns Supreme in World Championships Medal Count
Team USA, even with many of its top athletes not in attendance, still took away a total of 13 medals, more than any other nation at the 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships held in Valencia, Spain from March 7-9, 2008. These included 5 gold, 5 silver and 3 […]
Valencia Boasts 159-Nation Roster
The 12th IAAF World Indoor Championships, to be held in Valencia, Spain from March 7th through March 9th, 2008 will be the biggest ever by a huge margin. The previous largest nation count was 139.
Read more at: [IAAF WIC08]
Mottram Scorches Last 400 of Australian Championships 3000m with 54.0
Craig Mottram sent a loud […]
Controversial Front-Runner For USATF Presidency
Montreal 4×400m gold medalist Herman Frazier is being considered for the role of president, according to an article on the UH website. Frazier is a controversial choice, having made some unpopular decisions while athletic director at two different universities.
Read more at: [University of Hawaii][Wikipedia]
Incipient Shot Put Feud?
Christian Cantwell may have begun […]
Welcome to the official blog of elite American middle-distance runner Nick Symmonds. For more information about Nick please visit: www.nicksymmonds.com
There is so much to write about this week! The last fourteen days have been very exciting for me. Preparation for USA Indoors went very well. The weather in Eugene was ideal and I […]
Coe: Track & Field Can’t Survive Another Drug Scandal
Double Olympic gold medalist Sebastian Coe said that another scandal could wreck the sport of track & field, saying, “we cannot have another five years like the one we’ve just been through because I’m not sure the sport would survive that.”
Read more at: [The Age]
Oregon High Schooler […]
Tyson Invitational Has High Profile Athletes
The Tyson Invitational meet will be held this weekend at the University of Arkansas’ Randal Tyson Indoor Track in Fayettville. Some huge names will be competing, including Sanya Richards, Wallace Spearmon, Jenn Stuczynski and the shot put and an all-star shot put shootout that will feature Adam Nelson, Reese Hoffa, […]
Three Sub 2:07 Marathoners Added To Rotterdam Marathon Entry List
Organizers of the Rotterdam Marathon have ensured another fast race in 2008 by adding three sub 2:07 marathoners to the entry list. The three runners, Robert Cheboror, William Kipsang and Joseph Riri, are Kenyans, of course. The race will be held on Sunday, April 13th, 2008.
Read […]
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