July 7th, 2008

Eugene `08 - Day Eight, Send off to Beijing

by Toni Reavis in National Championships, Uncategorized

 Villard Street seemed deserted as we drove home from dinner at the Boulevard Grille on Randolph tonight.  A quick glance showed a few diehards knocking back their final Trials beers at the Villard Street Pub as we passed.  The pub had been the unofficial post-meet gathering spot night after night during the Trials, and now with packing and early morning flights waiting, there wasn’t the same urgency to stop to exchange opinions and race memories.  Strange how quickly the industry packs up and departs after settling in for the ten days it took to select this 2008 Olympic Team.

The men’s 1500 meter final closed out the Trial’s competition, booking Beijing tickets for Bernard Lagat, Leo Manzano, and Lopes Lomong, all three living their American dream after starting lives in three separate countries that offered fewer opportunities for such dreams to come true. 

On our way out of the Boulevard Grille, we passed Alan Webb and his family waiting for their table.  Though he hadn’t shown the same fitness in 2008 which had taken him to the world’s fastest mile and 1500 meter, and second fastest 800 time of 2007, the disappointment of not making this team still hung heavy on Alan’s face, a face which has come to represent track in this country for the last several years. Though he’d put himself in position at the bell, he simply didn’t have the snap when it counted down the stretch, and Will Leer passed him for fourth just meters from the tape.

“Alan has a good future,” said winner Bernard Lagat, whose 3:40.37 time was earned via 54.5 final lap to Webb’s 56-point.  “I wish he would have been on the team, but we are sending our strongest team, and in track we lose and we win.”

Sixth place finisher Jon Rankin was also feeling for Webb.

“I have so much respect for Alan,” said the equally disappointed UCLA grad.  “He’s handled himself and the pressure so well.  He’s capable of competing for an Olympic medal, and it’s tough not seeing him able to do it this year.”

Webb didn’t stop to talk to the press afterwards, walking right through the mixed zone.  There was a lot of talk, however, amongst the press of his need to change.   Change in both where he trains, northern Virginia, and who trains him, Scott Razko.  Since leaving the University of Michigan after just one year and returning to Razko, his high school coach, Webb has been on a constant roller coaster, up one year, down the next.  He and his coach were just unlucky enough to miss time the 2007 up and 2008 down.

With the high winds whipping down the homestretch all day, the sprints and hurdles were rewarded with such historic times at Lolo Jones’ 12.29 in the women’s 100 meter hurdles final, and David Oliver’s 12.89 in the men’s 110 meter high hurdle semis.  But for the 1500 meter men, the Olympic “A” standard 3:36.6 seemed beyond their reach.

“No one felt comfortable with the wind,” confirmed Jon Rankin.  “Even when guys blocked for you, it still got through.”

As many have pointed out, the three 1500 meter Olympians all began life in foreign lands, Lagat in Kenya - for whom he has already won Olympic bronze and silver - Manzano, who came to Texas with his parents as a four year-old from Mexico, and Lopez Lomong, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, who is lost no more.

“I am living a dream now,” said the exuberant Lomong, who came to the U.S. just seven years ago.  “This is a country I absolutely love.  Where dreams come true.”

Lomong admitted that he twisted his ankle earlier in the week doing strides before the semifinals.  The slower paced race helped him, as had the rounds in the 800 meters where he finished a disappointing fourth. 

“I had ankle problems all week,” he said.  “I couldn’t kick.  So I told myself to be patient and just run for third.”

After a slow start straight into the teeth of the wind, Gabe Jennings, the 2000 Olympic Trials champion, moved to the front as they passed the finish stripe for the first time.  Without the “A” standard Jennings felt compelled to jolt the pace.  But the 400 had taken 61.4 to complete with Lagat, Manzano, and Said Ahmed hooked on his tail.  Another 61.3 lap stripped away any chance for the “A” standard, though there were six men with that time in hand.  They came by the bell in 2:45.3 with Ahmed leading Lagat.  On the backstretch Lagat, the consummate racer, settled into striking position as Lomong scaled up along the outside and Manzano found a hole and pealed off the rail and onto Lagat’s shoulder.

“I tried not to be intimidated by Bernard,” said Manzano, the two-time NCAA 1500 meter champion out of the University of Texas.  “You need to come in with a positive mind set, and throw out all bad thoughts.”

In the final 300 meters Ahmed literally reached out and tried to create an opening by pulling Lagat aside.  Lagat hit Manzano, and the racing kicked in for good.

“Don’t let it get to you,” Leo told himself.  “Let it go.  Let it go.”

“Said Ahmed pushed us,” confirmed Lagat.  “He didn’t plan to do it.  But I am always cautious. I knew something might happen.”

The double world champion of 2007 in Osaka will now have the opportunity to repeat that singular achievement in Beijing.  He was the only double Trials champion in Eugene, taking the 5000 meters to match his 1500.  LSU grad Muna Lee won the 100 before chasing Allyson Felix in the deuce. Walter Dix of Florida State won the 200 in 19.86 over defending Olympic champion Shawn Crawford by a mere five one-hundredths of a second to go along with his slot in the 100 meters.  Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher exchanged victories in the 10,000 and 5000 to round out the double eventers.

American record holder in the pole vault, Jenn Stuczynski, almost gave us another Dan O’Brien moment, as when the world record holder in the decathlon no-heighted in the pole vault in 1992 failing to make the team.  America’s only 16-foot vaulter had waited till 15′1″ before entering the competition trying to save her strength for the anticipated higher heights, and maybe even the world record.  By then only little Erica Bartolina and April Steiner Bennett remained in the competition.

With the bar set at 4.60 meters, Jenn missed her first two attempts, and the PA announcer informed the crowd that if she missed the third, she’d be out of Beijing. Talk about applying the pressure.  With her fate in her hands she lofted her pole and sprung down the runway.  The crowd held its collected breath, and watched as she sailed over, hips way over the bar.

With the win secured she blitzed through the next three heights in quick succession, before nailing a new American record, 4.92 meters, 16′ 1 ¾”.  Though she missed the world record, she is inching closer and closer to Yelena Isinbayeva.

Shannon Rowbury, the break out middle distance star of 2008, dominated the women’s 1500, pulling away easily for a 4:05.48 win.  Her teammate Erin Donohue bulled her way to second in 4:08.20 while Christin Wurth, the solid pro, picked up the last Beijing spot in 4:08.48.  That gave coach John Cook three Olympians in three tries and Shannon and Erin joined Shalane Flanagan on the squad.

These 10 days in Eugene had come to an end. Though no one who had been here will forget the historic setting, the unusually glorious weather, and the friendly welcome of the Oregonians who had waited 28 years to host these Trials once again.  Stand out moments include Amy Begley’s final lap in the first night’s 10,000-meter women’s final.  Needing a sub-70 to get to China she ripped off a 67 for good measure while bringing the Eugene faithful to their feet for the first time.

The men’s 800-meter final last Friday will forever be the signature of these `08 Trials.  With Oregon Track Club man Nick Symmonds exploding to the lead on the Bowerman Turn, followed by University of Oregon sensation Andrew Wheating’s scintillating stretch run, and Symmond’s teammate Christian Smith, he of the Jesus beard and locks, full out dive across the line to edge four-time American champion Khadevis Robinson.  Never has their been such excitement at a single track moment. The place all but collapsed beneath the fury of the crowd’s outpouring.

The days have cascaded by.  The stories linger in the heart and bring hope to a troubled sport.  Tyson Gay’s “mild strain” in the men’s 200 might yet lift him to 100 glory in Beijing. We can only hope.  All we know is we were here to witness track as it can be. As we all wish it to be.  As we pray it may finally become once again.  Thank you, Eugene. We look forward to your warm embrace once again in 2012.

END

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