Symmonds fails to qualify for Olympic finals
BEIJING (AP) -- Springfield, Ore., resident Nick Symmonds' bid to win an Olympic medal in the 800 meters has ended.
Symmonds, 24, a graduate of Willamette University in Salem, Ore., placed fifth Thursday in the first of three semifinal heats in Beijing.
His time of 1 minute, 46.96 seconds was less than a second short of times posted by the top two qualifiers, Kenya's Wilfred Bungei and Cuba's Yeimer Lopez. Symmonds entered the games by posting a personal best at the Olympic Trials in June.
The 800 meter finals will be run Saturday.
As a prep, Symmonds won a combined seven individual 4A state championships in cross country and track and field. He then enrolled at Willamette University in Salem, Ore., where he won a combined seven NCAA Division III titles in the 800 and 1,500.
He led the Track Town sweep of the men's 800 at the Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene. The three qualifiers for the Olympic team were Symmonds, of Springfield, Ore.; and Andrew Wheating and Christian Smith of Eugene, Ore. | BACKGROUND
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.
