USATF Indoor Championships 2014Feb 20, 2014 by Mitch Kastoff
USATF Indoor Championships: Men's 800m preview
USATF Indoor Championships: Men's 800m preview
Most people are considering the men’s 800m to be a three horse race. Those people aren’t necessarily wrong. All eyes will be on Erik Sowinski, Nick Symmonds, and Michael Rutt, but that doesn’t mean that a few others couldn’t steal the show (like at the Millrose Games 1k).
It’s Flotrack’s consensus that Sowinski is going to come away the victor this weekend. This winter he’s shown he has both the speed (he’s run 1:16.11 for 600m) and tactical prowess (he anchored the US All-Stars to a world 4x800m record) to do so. Add beating both Symmonds and Rutt heads-up at the Millrose Games 1k, his 1:46.85 open in Dusseldorf, and 1:46.67 anchor leg at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix and it's hard not to bet on Sowinski.
Oh, and he’s the defending USATF Indoor 800m champion.
Symmonds’ first season with the Brooks Beasts has gotten off to a slow start. The seven-time national champion won at JDL Fast in 1:48.64 on February 1, anchored the Brooks Beasts 4x800m in 1:49.37 at NBIGP on February 8th, and was third at the Millrose Games 1k in 2:18.87 on February 15.
It may be too early in the year, but Symmonds just doesn’t have his lethal kick.
The third name of the group, who’s usually listed third, is Rutt. The newly sponsored New Jersey - New York man ran an indoor PR in Boston on February 7 (1:46.71) before pulling double duty and anchoring his 4x800 to a near world record and second place finish at NBIGP (1:46.66). He finished fourth behind the two aforementioned half milers in the Millrose Games 1k in 2:19.67.
If you want to play it safe, that trio should be enough. If you want a more wily choice, here are some of those good ol’ dark horse picks.
Two other members of the NJ-NY 4x800m could be in the mix. Brian Gagnon placed right behind Rutt in Boston with a 1:46.98 finish, which was an indoor PR, and ran 1:48.60 for his relay leg.
Then there’s the fallen star, the comeback kid, the Italian Stallion: Robby Andrews. On paper, he’s a long shot. His 1:47.07 third place finish behind Rutt and Gagnon in Boston, plus his 2:20.57 fifth place finish at the Millrose Games 1k isn’t particularly encouraging, but we've bought into the LetsRun maxim that "talent doesn’t go away."
They haven’t had any impressive marks this season, but it should be mentioned that Cas Loxsom and Tyler Mulder are both threats. Historically, both are always close to big victories: Loxsom and an NCAA title and Mulder and making a team.
Oh, and we’ll also list Harun Abda, because he’s seeded twice.
| Men 800m (courtesy to USATF) | ||||
| Name | Affiliation | Mark | Status | Declaration |
| Michael Rutt | New Jersey New York Track Club | 1:46.71 | qualified | declared |
| Erik Sowinski | Nike | 1:46.84 | qualified | declared |
| Brian Gagnon | New Jersey New York Track Club | 1:46.98 | qualified | declared |
| Robby Andrews | adidas | 1:47.07 | qualified | declared |
| James Gilreath | Adidas Team Green Running | 1:48.20 | qualified | declared |
| Nicholas Symmonds | Brooks | 1:48.64 | qualified | declared |
| Christopher Bilbrew | Adidas Team Green Running | 1:49.17 | qualified | declared |
| Harun Abda | Oregon TC Elite | 1:49.53 | qualified | declared |
| Mark Wieczorek | Brooks | 1:49.66 | qualified | declared |
| Mark Husted | 1:49.85 | qualified | declared | |
| Jacob Waterman | Wright Distance Project | 1:49.98 | qualified | declared |
| Tetlo Emmen | 1:50.08 | qualified | declared | |
| Casimir Loxsom | Brooks | 1:50.14 | qualified | declared |
| Tyler Mulder | Nike / Oregon TC Elite | 2:21.77 | qualified | declared |
| Joshua Guarino | Syracuse Chargers Track Club, Inc. | 2:22.09 | qualified | declared |
| Nicholas Guarino | Syracuse Chargers Track Club, Inc. | 2:22.73 | qualified | declared |
| Owen Dawson | 2:22.94 | qualified | declared | |
| Grant Grosvenor Jr | Montana St. | 1:50.24 | accepted | declared |
| Nicholas Thornton | 1:50.33 | accepted | declared | |
| Richard Jones | 1:50.41 | accepted | declared | |
| Monte Larsen | 1:50.62 | not qualified | not accepted | |
| Harun Abda | 1:49.53 | qualified | ||
| Lucas Manring | NT | not qualified | ||