(7-1-08) From USATF Press Release - Eugene sweeps 800 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.
Oregon flavor in women's 800
As she has done throughout the rounds in the women's 800, three-time USA outdoor champion Hazel Clark took the lead early in Monday night's final. At the bell, Alice Schmidt moved up on the two-time Olympian's shoulder, but Clark maintained her lead. Running 2-3 meters back were Nicole Teter and then Kameisha Bennett, both of whom fell during Saturday's semifinal and were advanced to the final by a referee's decision.
That decision paid off. In the homestretch, Clark held on for first, winning in 1:59.82, with Schmidt second in 2:00.46. Bennett overtook Teter and was third in 2:01.20, with Teter fourth in 2:01.30. However, Bennett has not met the Olympic "A" standard of 2:00.00, which means the Eugene-trained Teter is on the team for Beijing.
