Track and Field Blogs - Justin Kopunek

As mentioned in the first edition of this series, rivalries are the spark that ignites added interest into sports. Here I hold a magnifying glass up to three more pairs of track rivals to see if we can get some flames of interest going as the outdoor track season gets underway, because we all know how effective holding a magnifying glass up to an ant on a hot day can be.

Half Mile Headliners: Khadevis Robinson and Nick Symmonds

In 1999, Khadevis Robinson burst onto the national scene by grabbing the indoor and outdoor US championships at 800m. He just missed making the Olympic team in 2000 and played second fiddle to David Krummenaker and Jonathan Johnson for the next few years, while still qualifying for the 2004 Olympics in Athens. After that year, however, KD would go on a three year tear where he dominated the half mile in the states. He won every US Championship he entered in at 800m from 2005-2007 (1 indoor and 3 outdoor). In 2006, Robinson had the top 7 times in the US for his signature event! During that time, a young mid-distance runner was quietly making his name in the NCAA DIII ranks. While at Willamette, Nick Symmonds won every NCAA final he competed in for a total of 7 between the 800 and 1,500. Upon graduation, Symmonds showed he could hang with the big boys by placing 2^nd in the 800m at the 2006 USA Outdoor Championships. Robinson won that race by a significant 1.7 seconds. Symmonds would win his first national title in 2007 in the indoor 800m, but the defending indoor and outdoor champ, KD, was not in the race. A few months later, the rising star proved this was no fluke, winning the 800 at the Prefontaine Classic. Not only did he defeat Robinson 1:44.54 to 1:44.99, but he also took down 2004 800m Olympic Gold medalist Yuriy Borzakovskiy. KD got redemption at the US Championships that year, trouncing Symmonds 1:44.37 to 1:45.17. Both made it to the semi-final round of at the World Champs in separate heats.

Robinson kept rolling, beating Symmonds at the 2008 Boston Indoor Games by 0.2 seconds and at the US Indoor Champs with a photo finish 1:46.95 to 1:46.96. At the World Champs, the two ran in separate heats and although KD ran a faster time in the semi-finals, Symmonds won his heat and was the sole American in the final where he placed 6^th. His time was a US leading 1:46.48. At the Prefontaine Classic, KD was on top this year as they finished 3^rd and 4^th in the race. The 800m at the 2008 Olympic Trials was the most dramatic final of the meet. Robinson lead for a good deal of the race, while a late charging band of Oregonians, led by Symmonds, passed by leaving him in 4^th. It was the furthest apart in place the two have ever finished when racing each other and that meant KD would miss qualifying for the Olympic team, despite having the 2^nd fastest time by an American in 2008. In fact, only 1 American has run as fast in the 800 as these two have since 2002 and that is Alan Webb from his incredible 2007 season. This pair has dominated the US these past few years, yet they are very different. Robinson has a front-running style of racing, while Symmonds employs a late charging tactic. Sometimes Symmonds has spotted KD too much of a lead, while others KD runs out of gas. Either way, it always makes for an exciting last 100 meters and an epic rivalry. Symmonds is young with his career on the upswing. Robinson, 7 years his senior, has had a highly decorated career that is winding down. Treat each race they face off in like it is their last, because it very well may be. Already this year, they clashed at the Tyson Invitational, with Symmonds getting the win by a mere 0.04 seconds over his rival. They were set to wage war again at the US Indoor Champs, but Symmonds could not race due to illness leaving Robinson to pick up his 7^th US title at 800 meters. The outdoor title will no be won as easily, with a healthy Symmonds and stable of legitimate young contenders, so be prepared for a great race.

Chasing Steeple Superiority: Jenny Barringer and Anna Willard

At the 2006 NCAA Outdoor Championships, one of the top young distance prospects in the country shocked the crowd by taking the 3000m Steeplechase title as a freshman. In an event that she started running that season, she ran 9:53.04, her personal best was 10:19 coming into the meet. She had won the national title in an event that she had not even won at her conference meet. Finishing in 6^th place at NC’s was Brown senior Anna Willard. Who would have guessed that this would be the beginning of a record breaking rivalry? A year later at NCAA’s, Willard was a Michigan Wolverine now having a stellar 5^th year and Barringer was the NCAA XC runner-up. In the prelims, both made it through easily with Barringer topping Willard by 2 seconds, but the showdown in the finals was not to be. The defending champion’s show got knocked off going over a barrier. Stopping to re-tie the shoe, Barringer was able to finish a solid 7^th in 9:59, but Willard was 21 seconds ahead running a meet record 9:38. Two weeks later they were able to truly race each other for the first time. Barringer emerged the US Champion over Willard in a close 9:34.64 to 9:34.72. Both times broke the meet record and qualified them for Worlds in Osaka where neither would advance to the final. In 2008, their rivalry really took off. Still at Colorado, Barringer looked unbeatable at NCAA’s with a solo effort 9:29.20 winning by 26 seconds and missing the American Record by less than a second (again she didn’t win her conference meet that year). Going into the Olympic Trials, Barringer seemed primed to defend her US title, but Willard was fresh off eye-opening PRs in the 800m and 1500m running 2:02 and 4:06. Willard would come out on top in Eugene with the US title, American Record of 9:27.59, Olympic berth and an engagement ring to boot. 6 seconds back was Barringer, who also made the Olympic team by placing 3^rd while Lindsey Anderon was sandwiched between the two rivals. The pair met once more before the Olympics, in Heusden, where Barringer would deploy a then uncharacteristic kick to out lean Willard 9:22.73 to 9:22.76 and take the American Record as her won. In Beijing, the Buffalo would lower her American Record to 9:22.26 in placing 9th, while Willard was a few ticks behind in 10^th.

Both have won NCAA steeple titles, both have held the American Record, both have been US Champions in the steeple, both have been top 10 at the Olympics and both have personal bests of 9:22. With so many similarities, a legendary rivalry is undeniable. Their differences are what make their races interesting, however. Willard has the speed to be one of the best Mid-D runners in the US. Her PR of 2:02 for 800 and reportedly around 53 for the 400 is undeniably her weapon to combat her rival. Barringer counters that with immense strength and the ability to methodically hit splits, even when running alone. Last year, when predicting a race between the two in the steeple, many would point to Willard’s far superior flat PRs. For example, 4:06 to 4:11 in the 1500m. This winter, that all changed. Barringer became the fastest collegiate women ever from the mile to the 5k indoors, running 4:25, 8:42 and 15:01. In one season she became one of the fastest American women of all time and the flat talent is unquestionable. Not to be forgotten, Willard also had a notable winter. She handily won the Tyson Invitational Mile in 4:30 over NCAA champs Sally Kipyego, Brie Felnagle, and Sarah Bowman and then won the US Indoor 1500m title. While her times were not as impressive, Willard was unbeaten and ran great tactical races. They will undoubtedly be one of the most anticipated match-ups of this outdoor season as we will find out if Willard can respond to the incredible hot-streak Barringer is on right now. Additionally, Willard has said she may try to double in the 1,500 and Steeple at USA's which will make for an interesting year.

Pac-10 Phenoms: Chris Derrick and Luke Puskedra

The high school graduating of class of 2008 had an arsenal of elite distance talent. Many accomplished feats that would make them the hands down stud of their grade in any other year. Chris Derrick won Nike Team Nationals individually and as a team then came back a week later to place 2^nd at Foot Locker Nationals. He also won the Arcadia 5,000m in the fastest time ever in a high only race, 13:55. Luke Puskedra won the Boston Indoor Games Invitational Junior Mile, the Nike Indoor National 2 mile in nation leading 8:49 and bettered that time at the Prefontaine Classic in the Men’s Open event. These two crossed paths a few times in high school, but with a myriad of other runners mixing in with the pair, it was hard to tell that as freshman in college these 2 would continually be opposing each other. Derrick went to Stanford and Puskedra to Oregon. They joined the two best distance programs in the most competitive running conference in the NCAA and the rest is history. In cross country, these 2 each turned in solid performances at separate meets leading many to pose the question, who is the better freshman? Running message boards were full of Derrick v. Puskedra banter. In their first meeting at the Pac-10 Championship, on his home course, Puskedra beat Derrick by a decent margin. The pair went 2-3 against a superlative field, only behind the eventual national champ. A week later at the West Regional, the results were reversed as Derrick took 5^th and Puskedra took 6^th in the strongest region in the country. It was clear that these two were legitimate threats regardless of age. At the NCAA Championships, the two were not only the top 2 freshman finishers that year, but they had some of the best true freshman finishes by Americans ever at NCAAs. Puskedra came in at 5^th with Derrick close behind in 7^th.

In track, this duo did not disappoint either, as they posted times of 13:44 and 7:56 for Derrick and 13:46 and 7:58 for Puskedra. At their indoor conference meet, Derrick beat Puskedra by 1 second in the 3k and at NCAA’s by 2 seconds in the 5k. In the latter race, both earned All American honors by placing 4^th and 6^th respectively. Additionally, at the USA Junior Cross Country Championships, the two 18 year olds finished 2^nd and 3^rd to earn spots on Team USA at Worlds. There, they were again the 2^nd and 3^rd finishers for the US in placing 15^th and 30^th in the World for juniors. This rivalry is a fascinating one. Off the track, these two may become good friends based on a mutual respect and the sheer volume of time they will spend around each other. On the track, however, these two will butt heads time and time again. Even when racing in different states, observers are going to compare, contrast, and debate over these two for years. They entered college the same year at the same talent level. They have personal best’s within seconds of each other and always seem to finish close to one another. On top of that, they are on teams that race often and are the top two distance running schools on the West Coast. Conference meets, Regional meets, and National meets will be guaranteed showdowns while these guys are in school. Also, if their current success is any indication of what is to come, we may be seeing a career long rivalry that illuminates the accomplishments of these two talented harriers.

The spring season has gotten underway so keep an eye out for the meets where this trio of rivalries will be heating up. In the next edition of Track Rivalries we will explore some current and rising rivalries and if you have one you would like to see, let me know and it may make the cut.