2011 USATF Final Day Distance Recap: Rising to the Occasion, Symmonds Wins Fourth Straight USA 800m Title
By David Monti
June 26, 2011
(c) 2011 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
EUGENE, Oregon (26-Jun) -- In what was his toughest USA Outdoor
Championships final ever, Nick Symmonds found the closing speed he
needed to beat longtime rival Khadevis Robinson and collegiate star
Charles Jock and win his fourth consecutive national 800m title here
today. Symmonds's race closed the middle and long distance program of
this four-day championships at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon
which selected Team USA for the IAAF World Championships in Athletics
in Daegu, Korea in August.
"I got done with this one and it just felt so sweet because I've felt so
nervous for this one," said Symmonds after the race, looking relieved.
"Obviously, this is the deepest the field's been in a long time; I
think they had nine "A" standards. So, to win in a field like this is
just phenomenal."
Jock, the NCAA Championships runner-up from the University of California
at Irvine bolted to the lead from the gun, and led the field through
400 meters in an honest 50.82. Jock was followed closely by Penn
State's Casimir Loxsom, Oregon Track Club Elite's Tyler Mulder,
Symmonds, and four-time national 800m champion Khadevis Robinson. The
6'-4" Jock said that running from the front was his best strategy for
victory.
"I did it the best way I knew how; taking it out hard and hoping that nobody catches me at the end," Jock explained.
Jock was still in front at 600 meters, and his stride looked smooth.
Loxsom remained in contention, but Symmonds had moved into third and
Robinson into fourth. Loxsom began to fall back through the final
curve, but Jock was still going full-tilt at the front. The race was
playing out just as Symmonds had hoped.
"My only race strategy was to be on the leader's shoulder with 100 to
go," Symmonds told reporters. "I caught up to Jock, and just flipped it
that last hundred. To be honest, with 50 meters to go I thought maybe
I'd flipped it a little too soon. I could feel my body tying up. But, I
just tried to get my hips forward and just try to get across that line.
It wasn't until I crossed the line that I knew I won it."
Symmonds got to the tape in 1:44.17, a time which was only 7/100ths
slower than his epic 2008 Olympic Trials victory, and the second-fastest
of his four wins. Behind him, Robinson would also drive past Jock to
claim second in 1:44.49. Robinson complimented Symmonds on his race.
"You've got to give credit where credit is due," Robinson said. "He ran
1:44.1. I thought it would take what I ran to win. I ran that; he ran
faster. Took my hats off. The guy ran a tough race."
Jock crossed next 1:44.67, a personal best. A college junior, he may
have been the most thrilled of all about making the national team.
"It hasn't hit me yet; I'm still in shock," he said. "When I crossed
that finish line I was like, wait a minute. I didn't see anybody else
pass me and I saw my name in third. The emotion; it was just crazy."
NCAA champion Robby Andrews finished last, bewildered that he had
nothing in his legs today after what he said were relatively easy
preliminary races. His coach, Jason Vigilante, was nonetheless very
pleased with his star athlete's performance.
"He's a 20 year-old in a field with some great kids," said Vigilante. "I told him you've got nothing to hang your head about."
*800m Men's Race Video and Post Race Reaction
MONTANO DOMINATES WOMEN'S 800
Alysia Montano, the former Alysia Johnson, dominated the women's two-lap
event, notching her third USA outdoor title in five years. A white
flower affixed to her black headband, Montano motored through the first
half in 56.07 seconds, and already had a several meter lead on Alice
Schmidt, who in turn was several steps ahead of Phoebe Wright and Geena
Gall. Montano said that a back problem had forced her to only run
uphill in training which made her a lot stronger. That strength, she
said, was critical today to holding her speed to the finish.
"We've had really good workouts these last couple of weeks," she told
the assembled media. "I spent a few weeks back before Pre only running
uphill because I had a little back issue. So, I knew I had that
strength."
Down the homestretch, Montano couldn't be touched. Her winning time of
1:58.33 was the fastest at these championships in 15 years.
"My feelings about making the team?" Montano said, gently mocking reporters. "Yeah, that's awesome!"
Maggie Vessey was also having a great race. Her final 100-meter push to
the line got her past both Phoebe Wright and Alice Schmidt to take
second in 1:58.86. Schmidt was trying to hang on for just a few more
meters because Wright was catching her on the inside. Schmidt finished
third in 1:59.21, just 4/100ths ahead of Wright.
"Even before I looked at the scoreboard I just thought, honestly, I was
dying so hard in that final straightaway, I know I did everything I
could," said Schmidt, a 2008 Olympian. "So I was, like, really hoping I
made the team. Then, when I found out third it was the best gift all
day."
*800 Women's Race Video and Post Race Reaction
COBURN BACKS UP NCAA WIN WITH OPEN TITLE
The University of Colorado's Emma Coburn showed again that she is now
the top steepler in the United States. She had already won the NCAA
title, and had secured the IAAF "A" standard of 9:43.00 at the Cardinal
Invitational Meet last May. Here, she ran near the front the entire
race. Coming down the backstretch of the final lap she led former Penn
State star Bridget Franek and the University of Virginia's Stephanie
Garcia, the NCAA runner-up to Coburn. Delilah DiCrescenzo was in fourth
and struggling to maintain contact.
"I knew if I kept close with about 500 left to go I would probably make
the team, like, if I could see first and was within striking distance,
said DiCrescenzo. "So, I was confident there, but I was more tired than
I expected."
Coburn and Franek took the final water jump easily, but Garcia slipped
on the push-off and tumbled head first into the water. The crowd let
out a collective gasp.
"(I) kind of came up on Bridget's shoulder coming into 200 to go," said
Garcia, who would finish fifth. "I was worried because they were
pushing me in to the inside, and I was like, OK, you're going to be
really close to that edge of the barrier. Just take it quickly. And,
my left foot just slipped a little bit pushing off and I took a dive.
So, I tried to get up as quickly as possible, but by then, Delilah had
just taken the water and kept going."
Franek finished a clear second in 9:44.90, making her first World
Championships team (she ran under the "A" standard at the adidas Grand
Prix earlier this month). DiCrescenzo finished third in 9:46.31, under
the "B" standard of 9:50.00 so she is on the team, too (a team of A-A-B
is permitted).
Coburn was over the moon. "I'm so happy!, she swooned. "I've never
been so happy in my entire life. I feel like this season and this whole
year went better than I can even dream."
Post Race interviews: *Emma Coburn *Bridget Franek *Delilah DiCrescenzo *Stephanie Garcia
* * * * * *
Next year's USA Outdoor Championships will be incorporated into the
Olympic Team Trials, and will also be contested here in Eugene.
Sunday:
Men's 800m: LRC Men's 800m: Nick Symmonds Makes it Four in a Row
Women's 800m: LRC Women's
800m: Alysia Goes Wire to Wire
Women's Steeplechase: LRC Emma Coburn Wins, Stephanie Garcia Falls, and Hey Delilah Goes to Korea
Saturday USATF Coverage
Men's 1500m: LRC Matt Centrowitz Jr Pulls Away from Bernard Lagat
Women's 1500m: LRC The Thrill Victory (Morgan Uceny) and Agony of Defeat (Christin Wurth Thomas)
Men's Steeple: LRC Billy Nelson's Return to Oregon is Successful
Friday: USATF Coverage
Men' 5000m: LRC Men's 5,000m: Bernard Lagat's 3:57.80 Close Wins A Thriller Over Chris Solinsky And Galen Rupp
Women's 5000m: LRC Women's 5,000m: Molly Huddle Impresses, Hastings And Bizzarri Continue The Mammoth Mojo
800m Semis: LRC All the Favorites Advance And KD Asks For Some Energy From His Fans In The Final
*Ashton Eaton Sets PR With Decathlon Win, Olympic Gold Medallist Bryan Clay Falls In 110 Hurdles And Doesn't Finish The Meet
*Walter Dix Just Outleans Justin Gatlin To Win US Champs 100
*SI's Tim Layden Takes a Look at Justin Gatlin's Situation
*Post Race Interviews
Complete Thursday USATF Coverage: *10k Photos
Men's 10k: LRC Men's 10,000m: Galen Rupp Closes Out Matt Tegenkamp With 1:52.5 Final 800m
Women's 10k: LRC Women's 10,000m: Shalane Flanagan Goes Wire to Wire Over Kara Goucher and Field
1500m Round 1 and Men's Steeple Round1: LRC Thursday's 1500m Heats: 2011 US Leader Russell Brown Bows Out
800M Round 1: LRC: 800m Round 1 Goes According to Form
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