From Walt Murphy. Shared with permission. Walt produces an info-rich daily ”This Day in T&F” newsletter. Contact him at waltmurphy44@gmail.com if you’d like to join his distribution list.
Favorite race ever? Loudest crowd ever? For many track fans this race makes the short list response to both of these questions. I had the supreme pleasure of being in Hayward Field that day. I will never forget the frenzy of the crowd during the last 200 meters of that race. Just Wow.
From Walt:
Hayward Field in Eugene has been the setting for many memorable races over the years, but the men’s 800-meters at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials (June 27-July 6) will forever be placed at the top of the list by many who were present in the stands this day.
Seasoned journalists who had witnessed many major sporting events during their careers couldn’t remember hearing a louder roar than the one that erupted when Nick Symmonds, Andrew Wheating, and Christian Smith, all of whom trained in Eugene, all came from behind in the homestretch to secure the three Olympic berths. Symmonds (1:44.10) and Wheating (1:45.03) were a clear 1-2, but Smith had to lunge at the finish, going airborne to edge Khadevis Robinson to secure 3rd place. As a bonus, Smith ran 1:45.47 to get under the Olympic “A” qualifying standard of 1:46.00.
Here’s what Tom Jordan, the director of the Prefontaine Classic, had to say about the race:
“It was the single most exciting moment in track and field I’ve ever experienced. I’ve been in the sport 40 years, been to 10 Olympic Games, a number of Olympic trials, put on 25 Prefontaine Classics — and that surpassed them all.” (From the Oregonian in 2009).
Do yourself a favor and watch Nick’s own recap of the race, along with the video footage, here below:
