2013 Prefontaine Classic Men’s 800: Mohammed Aman Dominates As Nick Symmonds Debuts in Third
by LetsRun.com
June 1, 2013
Eugene, OR – With World record holder and Olympic champion David Rudisha a scratch after a bone-bruise showed up on an MRI of his knee a few days ago, the Pre Classic 800 favorite role shifted to 19-year old Ethiopian Mohammed Aman who did not disappoint.
Aman dominated the men’s 800 winning in 1:44.42. 2012 Olympic bronze medallist Timothy Kitum, who hadn’t run faster than 1:46.54 this year (when he was 9th in Doha), won a tight battle for second in 1:45.16 as 2nd through 7th were separated by just .64.
Olympic 5th placer Nick Symmonds took top American honors in third (1:45.40) as fellow Olympic finalist Duane Solomon was sixth (1:45.67).
Results and Quick Takes appear below.
800 Metres - Men
1 Aman , Mohammed ETH 1:44.42
2 Kitum , Timothy KEN 1:45.16
3 Symmonds , Nick USA 1:45.40
4 Kinyor , Job Koech KEN 1:45.47
5 Osagie , Andrew GBR 1:45.62
6 Solomon , Duane USA 1:45.67
7 Kszczot , Adam POL 1:45.80
8 Rotich , Abraham Kipchirchir KEN 1:47.92
9 Kosencha , Leonard Kirwa KEN 1:48.02
Scherer , Matthew USA DNF
Quick Take (QT) #1: Aman dominated this race. Proving that point is the fact that the runner-up Kitum actually came closer to finishing 7th (.64 seconds) than he did first (.74 seconds).
QT #2: We caught up with an up-beat Nick Symmonds after the race, who finished third at Pre for the second straight year. Symmonds (you can watch the interview on the left) said he hasn’t done any specific 800 training this year, and said if he had done some, he thinks he might have won this race.
Symmonds also told us that he’d heard that the proscribed treatment for David Rudisha is no running for two weeks.
With Rudisha out right now and Olympic silver medallist Nijel Amos not having ran an 800 yet this year after missing a month with his own injury, the odds for a medal for Symmonds seem to be increasing. After all, he was 5th last year at the Olympics and 5-2=3. But of course, one needs to remember that Aman was behind Symmonds last year so it’s not just a matter of moving him up if they end up not running.
QT #3: We bet this race buoyed Erik Sowinski who wasn’t even here in Eugene. Last week in awful weather in New York, Sowinski was battling right with Timothy Kitum and Andrew Osagie for runner-up honors before falling and finishing last. By the transitive property, he’d have likely been in the mix with Solomon and Symmonds here.
More LRC Pre Coverage:
Highlight:Women’s 800:High Schooler Mary Cain Breaks 2:00 As Francine Niyonsaba Dominates
Men:
5k: Mo Farah is Beaten By Edwin Soi as Galen Rupp Finishes Sixth
Bowerman Mile: Silas Kiplagat Steals The Race From Asbel Kiprop at The Line as 9 Guys Run 3:51 or Faster
Steeple: Conseslus Kipruto Survives Ezekiel Kemboi’s Shove; Evan Jager 8:08
Men’s 800: Mohammed Aman Dominates As Nick Symmonds Debuts in Third
Women:
5k: Tirunesh Dibaba Survives A Scare From Mercy Cherono
1500: Hellen Obiri Wins in 3:58 as Treniere Moser and Sheila Reid Run 4:02
Friday: Kenenisa Bekele Wins 10,000m, But Time Disappoints at 2013 Prefontaine Classic
*Men’s International Mile: James Magut Wins, No HS Sub-4 As Will Leer Gets Top American Honors as Andrew Wheating Runs ‘Scared’
*Men’s National 1500: Garrett Heath Wins, Chris Solinsky’s Lacking Speed And Alan Webb Struggles But Is Happy
*Women’s 800: Phoebe Wright Gets The Win, Ajee Wilson’s Winning Streak Comes To An End And Gabrielle Anderson PR’s