Symmonds Wins 800-Meter Run at USA Track and Field Championships

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

EUGENE, ORE. -- Nick Symmonds ('06), who won seven NCAA championships as a runner at Willamette University, earned his fourth consecutive national title in the 800-meter run at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Sunday, June 26 at Hayward Field. Symmonds, now a runner with Oregon Track Club Elite, took first place with a time of 1:44.17.

Symmonds began his move with about 200-meters remaining, as he worked to overtake Charles Jock from the University of California at Irvine, who held the early lead. Symmonds and Khadevis Robinson both passed Jock before reaching the finish line.

Robinson took second place in 1:44.49 and Jock finished third in 1:44.67. Tyler Mulder of OTC Elite placed fourth in 1:45.59.

"My only race strategy was to be on the leader's shoulders with 100 (meters) to go," Symmonds said. "It wasn't until I crossed the finish line that I knew I won it.

"To win in a field like this was just phenomenal," Symmonds said in reference to the talented group of finalists in the 800.

While competing at Willamette, Symmonds won four NCAA Division III national championships in the 800-meter run. He also claimed three NCAA national titles in the 1,500-meter run.

Prior to winning USA titles in the outdoor 800-meter run, Symmonds was the USA runner-up in the event in 2006 and 2007. He has won two USA indoor titles in the 800 (2007, 2010) to go along with one indoor runner-up finish (2008).

At the international level, Symmonds took sixth place in the finals of the 800-meter run at the World Championships in 2009 and reached the semifinals at the World Championships in 2007. He advanced to the semifinals of the 800 at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.