Andrew Wheating's Top 4 Mixed Zone Interviews

Andrew Wheating's Top 4 Mixed Zone Interviews

Check out the best interviews from Andrew Wheating's 10-year track career.

Jan 7, 2018 by Kevin Sully
Andrew Wheating's Top 4 Mixed Zone Interviews

In his 10 years competing on track’s biggest stages, Andrew Wheating established himself as one of the sport’s most interesting personalities. 

The middle distance specialist, who recently announced his retirement, was equally parts funny, candid, and self-critical. Nowhere was that more evident than in his post-race interviews. Whether he ran well or not, Wheating never held back. His emotions were always on full display. 

Here are four of his most memorable interview from the Flotrack archive:

1. “I couldn’t tell you, man!”

Unbridled joy flowed out of Wheating after he ran 3:30.91 in the 1500m at Monaco. The time was Wheating’s lifetime best and still stands as the eighth-fastest mark by an American in the event. The interview begins with Wheating shaking hands with his coach, Vin Lananna, and ends with a cameo by Bernard Lagat, who said what many in the running world were thinking, “He’s strong, man.”

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2. “It’s going to be a hell of a final if I get there, I’ll tell you that much.”

Wheating made three U.S. teams. The last one was in 2012 when he qualified for the Olympic team in the 1500m. After the first round he pumped himself up in the mixed zone and yelled, “We’re gonna do it!” to his Oregon Track Club Elite team, Russell Brown.

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3. “Wheating got Wheating'd.”

Wheating’s late race blitzes to the finish line became his staple early in his career. But at the 2015 U.S. Championships, it was Robby Andrews who came from out of nowhere to finish second and earn one of the three qualifying spots for the world championships. 

Wheating made up ground as well too, but had to settle for fifth place.

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4. “I was nervous like no other.”

In the lead-up to the 2008 Olympic Trials, Wheating strung together an impressive streak of races. His performance at the Oregon Relays and Oregon Twilight hinted at what was to come. Here, after the Oregon Relays, he speaks about breaking four minutes in the mile for the first time and competing against Galen Rupp.

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