07.02.08 FACE PLANT SENDS RUNNER TO OLYMPICS

At the Olympic qualifiers in Eugene, Oregon, Monday's 800-meter final provided more excitement than usual as the third and final Olympic spot went to the man who wanted it the most.  Fa real.

Eugene-based athletes swept the event: Nick Symmonds, an ex-Division III athlete; Andrew Wheating, a University of Oregon sophomore who didn't run high school track; and Christian Smith, the 29th of 30 qualifiers.

Symmonds broke from the rail to the outside with 150 meters left and sprinted away from the field to win in 1 minute, 44.10 seconds. Wheating was seventh with 300 to go and finished second (1:45.03). Smith dived in front of defending national champion Khadevis Robinson to place third.

Watch the right side of the video starting around the :35 mark and you'll see the action.  Sorry it kinda sucks, but that's the best I can do until some American hero recuts the video and zooms in and gives us repeated slo-mo shots of the intentional face plant.  Preferably set to the theme from "Chariots of Fire."

[FanIQ]