Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Northwest contingent going to Beijing on the U-S Olympic Track & Field Team more than doubled in size Monday night in Eugene.  Correspondent Tom Banse reports from the Olympic Trials, now at the halfway point.

An unexpected 1-2-3 sweep for the hometown in the men’s 800 meters electrified the capacity crowd at Hayward Field.

Nick Symmonds, Andrew Wheating, and Christian Smith came from behind in a furious sprint to the finish.

Symmonds is a Boise native who says he moved to Eugene in anticipation of this moment.

Nick Symmonds: “I’ve been training for this for ten years, especially the last two years, with nothing on my mind but Beijing.  To finally get through it and win it with two of my best friends, this is a dream come true.”

Also making the Olympic team are Eugene’s Nicole Teter in the women’s 800 and ex-Washington State Cougar Bernard Lagat in the 5K.

Decathlete Tom Pappas, who grew up in rural southwest Oregon, made the Olympic team for the third time.

Next up are two rest days.  Then the second half of the U-S team selection.  It features another half dozen legitimate contenders to bulk up the Olympic team with local stars.

US Olympic Track and Field Trials