Willis Nets Olympic Qualifying Standard at Golden Gala
7/3/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
ROME, Italy -- The fourth time proved a charm for University of Michigan sophomore Nick Willis (Lower Hutt, New Zealand/Hutt Valley HS) as the Wolverine runner smashed the Olympic qualifying 'A' standard with a personal-best 3:32.68 in the 1,500-meter run Friday (July 2) at the Golden Gala. With his ninth-place performance at the premier international track event, Willis earned himself a spot on the New Zealand Olympic team.
With prior approval to miss the New Zealand Olympic Trials, Willis needed only to hit the 'A' qualifying standard (3:36.20) in the 1,500m by July 14 to guarantee his selection to the team. The Golden Gala marked his fourth attempt at hitting the necessary time. In his first race of the season, Willis ran 3:36.24 to place third at the Oregon Track Classic, missing the mark by just 0.04 seconds. After a pair of disappointing times at the Prefontaine Classic and the Norwich Union Super Grand Prix, the Wolverine sophomore shattered both the qualifying standard and his personal best in the event by nearly four seconds.
Starting in the far inside lane, Willis was pushed to the rear of the 20-man field when the competition converged at 100-meter mark. Arthemon Hatungimana and David Lelei, the race's designated rabbits, set a quick and consistent opening pace, clocking 55.56 through the first lap and 1:52.60 through 800 meters. Willis stayed off the early pace, remaining at the back of the pack in the second-to-last position through most of the first two laps.
He started to move at the halfway point in the race, and when the bell sounded for the final lap, the Wolverine held the 12th spot, approximately 50 meters behind the leaders. As the lead group of four runners pulled away from a seven-man chase pack down the backstretch, Willis remained on their heels through the final bend. The Wolverine used his kick to move past four runners in the last 100 meters and, in a blanket finish, was just 0.55 seconds out of fifth place.
Former Wolverine Kevin Sullivan, who had already notched the necessary Olympic 'A' and 'B' qualifying standards in the previous weeks, registered a season-best 3:34.43 to claim 12th place in the same race. Trailing the pack in last place at the bell, Sullivan outkicked four competitors in the final lap to improve his finishing position.
Junior Nate Brannen (Cambridge, Ontario/Preston HS) was able to check off one of his qualifying requirements as he collected the Olympic 'B' standard in 800-meter run after clocking a season-best 1:46.48 for a seventh-place performance in the 'B' Series race. Brannen was crowded out early in the race and had been immediately pushed to the rear of the 12-field. The race's lone rabbit, Brazil's Anderson Dos Santos, took the field through a 50.86 400-meter pace, allowing the crowded field to remain bunched together. The congestion made it difficult to get around other competitors and move through the corners, but Brannen was able to pick up a few spots in the closing stretch to finish seventh, just 0.47 seconds out of fifth place.
Volunteer assistant coach Tim Broe competed in the 5,000-meter run to round out the Wolverine participants, finishing 22nd with a season-best time of 13:35.14. With the early pace going out in world-record time, Broe, still recovering from a foot injury, was unable to stay with the field and missed the Olympic 'A' standard by 13.64 seconds.
As the group heads back to Ann Arbor from their European tour, Brannen will stay a few more days to compete in the Meeting Citta de Padova on Sunday (July 4) in Padova, Italy. The Wolverine junior will look for his 'A' qualifying standard in the 800-meter run before returning home to prepare for the Canadian trials.
Michigan Results
800-meter Run ('B' Series) 1. William Yamoi, Kenya 1:44.29 2. Osmar Dos Santos, Brazil 1:45.64 3. Patrick Ndumimana, Burma 1:45.66 4. Berhanu Alemu, Ethopia 1:45.71 5. Nico Motchebon, Germany 1:46.01 6. Nicholas Wachira, Kenya 1:46.27 7. Nate Brannen, Canada 1:46.48 8. Arnold Okken, Netherlands 1:46.99 9. Livio Sciandra, Italy 1:47.09 10. Werner Botha, South Africa 1:47.11 11. Christian Neunhauserer, Italy 1:47.40 12. Japhet Kimutai, Kenya 1:49.57 -- Anderson Dos Santos, Brazil DNF 1,500-meter Run 1. Rachid Ramzi, Bahrain 3:30.25 2. Baernard Lagat, Kenya 3:30.81 3. Medi Baala, France 3:31.25 4. Isaac Songok, Kenya 3:31.94 5. Rui Silva, Portugal 3:32.13 6. Alex Kipchirchir, Kenya 3:32.35 7. Michael East, Great Britain 3:32.37 8. Hicham El Guerrouj, Morocco 3:32.64 9. Nick Willis, New Zealand 3:32.68 10. Mounir Yemmouni, France 3:32.97 11. Gert Jan Liefers, Netherlands 3:33.87 12. Kevin Sullivan, Canada 3:34.43 13. Juan Carlos Higuero, Spain 3:34.48 14. Vuacheslav Shabunin, Russia 3:35.50 15. Aniss Selmouni, Morocco 3:37.36 16. Paul Korir, Kenya 3:37.69 -- Arthemon Hatungimana, Burma DNF -- Benjamin Kipkurui, Kenya DNF -- David Lelei, Kenya DNF -- Christian Obrist, Italy DNF Q U O T E S
Sophomore Nick Willis
On the 1,500-meter race ... "It was the best I had felt all season during my warm-up and strides; I felt really loose before the race. However, on the line, I got crowded off the track and took about three steps into the long jump pit; so I was really worried that I was going to fall again. During the race, I just sat back in the middle of the pack. My splits were perfect; I think I went 0:57, 1:55. Heading into the last 200 meters, I had a little bit of a dilemma, because the group in front of me was about three or four wide, and I didn't know if I should stay inside or move out to the outside. I caught them at the end, but I don't know if I was able to get around any of them or not."
On hitting the Olympic 'A' standard ... "This is a big burden of off my shoulders. Now I can come back to Ann Arbor and get several weeks of training in before heading out to Athens. It will be back to hills and tempo runs and building strength."
Contact: Leah Howard (734) 763-4423
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