We had a good interview with Nick Symmonds after the semifinal of the 800 at us Champs which you can see embedded in our recap here:
We definitely recommend you give it a watch.
In the interview we talked to Symmonds about going for his 6th straight USATF 800m title and commented that at this point he's probably figured out how to win no matter what type of race it is. His response was great as he said:
"I always liked watching Tiger Woods play golf because they said he has more tricks in his bag with his clubs than anybody else does. He can hit a 3 iron ten different ways. And I've always wanted to be the kind of runner, in an 800 especially, that can win any way you throw it. If we go out in 24, if we go out in 28, if it's fast, if it's slow, if I'm burried, if I'm boxed or if I'm free I want to be able to win any different way. I think my Division III background gave me a lot of chance to practice those skills. I think that's one of the reasons I've been able to pull off these wins the last 5 years. I've found a way to get to the front somehow, no matter how it's played. Obviously I'm not anywhere the level that Tiger Woods is, but I aspire to have that kind of variety in my game."
When we asked if maybe he was the "Tiger Woods of US 800m runners" he said, "Maybe Tiger of the US 800m for a very brief time ... without the affairs."
Symmonds also talked about the quality of the final on Sunday and how much US 800m running has improved. He said:
"I think it's a good field. There's eight really good guys in this final. That's the way it should be. America, who put two people in the final last year at the Olympics, should always have 8 guys with the 'A' standard or 16 guys with the 'A' standard vying for a spot on the team. That's where I've been saying I want America 800m running to come. Duane stepped it up, Tyler stepped it up, all these youngsters are. We got damn good crew and we're going to send 3 really really good guys to Moscow this year."