800 Meters - July 1, 20.00 Hr
1. Dave Wottle (BG) 1:44.3 =WR
2. Rick Wohlhuter (UCTC) 1:45.0
3. Ken Swenson (US-A) 1:45.1
4. Jim Ryun (CW) 1:45.2
5. Ron Phillips (Ill) 1:45.3
6. Rick Brown (Cal) 1:45.4
7. Marcel Philippe (Fordham) 1:46.0
8. Tommy Fulton (TSU) 1:47.3
Semi-finals: - First 4 qualify, June 30, 19.00 Hr
1/ 1. Ryun 1:47.3, 2. Philippe 1:47.4, 3. Wottle 1:47.4, 4. Brown 1:47.5, 5. Ken Sparks (UCTC) 1:47.6, 6. Rob Mango (Ill) 1:47.9, 7.
Tom Bach (Nwn) 1:48.3, 8. Bob Smith (LSU) 1:52.0
2/ 1. Wohlhuter 1:47.2, 2. Swenson 1:47.2, 3. Phillips 1:47.3, 4. Fulton 1:47.4, 5. Tom Von Ruden (PCC) 1:48.0, 6. Steve Straub
(Husky SC) 1:48.8, 7. John Mock (Husky SC) 1:53.0, 8. Juris Luzins (USMC) 1:55.4
Heats: - First 4 qualify, June 29, 18.00 Hr
1/ 1. Ryun 1:48.7, 2. Brown 1:49.1, 3. Philippe 1:49.3, 4. Sparks 1:49.3, 5. Mark Winzenried (CW) 1:49.4, 6. Ken Schappert (Vill)
1:49.7, 7. Lowell Paul (UCTC) 1:51.2
2/ 1. Fulton 1:48.3, 2. Swenson 1:48.6, 3. Luzins 1:49.1, 4. Mock 1:49.4, 5. Ken Popejoy (Mich St) 1:49.5, 6. Tony Waldrop (NC)
1:49.8
3/ 1. Wohlhuter 1:49.2, 2. Straub 1:49.3, 3. Phillips 1:49.5, 4. Von Ruden 1:49.6, 5. Wilbur Hawkins (Tenn) 1:49.9, 6. Clay
Lowrey (Or St) 1:50.8, 7. Mike Mosser (WV) 1:51.8
4/ 1. Wottle 1:49.8, 2. Mango 1:49.9, 3. Bach 1:50.1, 4.Smith 1:50.2, 5. Steve Bence (Or) 1:51.0, 6. Art Sandison (Cougar TC)
1:51.5, 7. Willie Thomas (Tenn) 1:52.9
This was a superb 800m race, one of those which leaves the watchers drained from the emotion of it, and followed a series of surprises.
The fastest American of 1972, front-running Mark Winzenried, was outkicked by 3 men in the first heat won from the front by
resurging Jim Ryun. Another front runner Tommy Fulton was the fastest man (with 1:48.3) in the heats. The seeding worked well in the
semis with the 8 fastest times split 4-4 between the two semi-finals, with Ken Sparks the fastest non-qualifier on 1:47.6.
Fulton set the pace in the final, passing 200 in 25.2, and went past the bell in 52.0, with Wottle at the back of the pack in 52.9.
Ryun suddenly kicked with 300m to go, drawing Swenson and Wottle with him, and leaving a gap to the slender Wohlhuter. Ryun's
sixth 100 was run in a too fast 11.5, and his third metric furlong took 24.8. Only Wottle was able to stay with Ryun, and the two of them
were 5 meters clear of Swenson as they entered the finishing straight. Wottle held form well and moved ahead, as the others began to
close in on Ryun. Wohlhuter and then Swenson passed the tiring Ryun, who fought back unavailingly. Wottle won by 6 yards, but there
was less than 4 yards between 2nd and 6th, with Ryun, Ron Philips and Rick Brown losing out. Only Swenson and Ryun failed to set a
pb, and from a larger perspective, it was the first race to produce more than 2 men at 1:45.5 or better...6 men managing 1:45.4 !
Wottle's fine negative split (52.9 first lap, 51.4 second) suggested that he was capable of 1:43 in the heat of competition
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the information above is the 1972 Olympic Trials 800 from T&F News. We see Ryun competed in the event before winning the 1500 later in the week