Symmonds to Compete at World Championships in Track and Field

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

MOSCOW, RUSSIA -- Nick Symmonds '06, who competed in track and field and cross country while earning his bachelor's degree in Chemistry (Biochemistry track) at Willamette University, will be competing in the 800-meter run at the IAAF World Championships over the next few days at Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.

Symmonds will be attempting to reach the finals of the World Championships for the third consecutive time. He placed fifth at the World Championships in 2011 and was sixth in 2009, after reaching the semifinals in his first appearance in 2007. The World Championships are held every two years.

While running for Willamette, Symmonds won seven NCAA Division III national championships in track and field from 2003 through 2006. He won four titles in the 800-meter run and earned three championships in the 1,500-meter run.

Since then, he has competed at two Olympic games -- in Beijing in 2008 and in London in 2012. He reached the semifinals of the 800-meter run in Beijing. At the London Olympics, he recorded his personal record time of 1:42.95 in the finals of the 800, as he took fifth place. He trails only two others runners on the U.S. all-time list.

He has placed in the top two at the USATF Championships or USA Olympic Trials eight times. He won the U.S. 800-meter title five years in a row from 2008 through 2012, and placed second in 2006, 2007 and earlier this summer.

Symmonds is a runner for Oregon Track Club Elite. He recently won the 800-meter run at the London Diamond League meet in late July in 1:43.67, passing fellow U.S. runner Duane Solomon near the finish. It was Solomon who finished in front of Symmonds at this year's USATF Championships.

The 800-meter run will get underway at the World Championships with preliminary heats on Saturday, Aug. 10 at 12:20 a.m. PDT. Symmonds is scheduled to compete in the fourth of six heats. The top three finishers in each heat plus the next six fastest times will advance to the semifinals.

Semifinal heats are set for Sunday, Aug. 11 at 8:35 a.m. PDT, with the final heat scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 10:10 a.m. PDT.