|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Texas
Tech freshman Jonathan Johnson warms up for the 800
final.
|
Sam
Burley of Penn does a stride.
|
Michigan
freshman Nathan Brannen.
|
L-R:
Johnson, Otukile Lekote, Roman Oravec, Brannen, Marc
Sylvester and Dan Murray.
|
Brannen's
presence at this meet was impressive in and of itself
after he missed the indoor season with a stress fracture.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SMU
senior Roman Oravec.
|
Defending
champion Otukile Lekote, only a sophomore.
|
Burley
was a finalist here last year as well.
|
Lekote
leads through 400 meters in 50 seconds.
|
Lekote's
trademark strategy seems to be running fast from the
gun and hoping to hold on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lekote
essentially functioned as a rabbit for the field,
setting them up for fast times...
|
...Except
Lekote is strong enough in this event that he is the
kind of rabbit who can hold on.
|
Nate
Brannen runs in fourth, followed by Moise Joseph.
|
Tennessee
freshman Marc Sylvester runs in sixth.
|
Sam
Burley of Penn runs in seventh with less than 400
meters to go.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Down
the home stretch, Lekote continues to lead and Burley
begins to move up on the outside.
|
Burley
challenges Lekote and the rest of the field stays
close behind.
|
Lekote
hung on to defend his title in 1:45.17.
|
Sam
Burley finished second in 1:45.39, it was a fast finish
for most of the field with Joseph third (1:45.74)
and Johnson fourth (1:45.81).
|
Brannen
finished fifth in 1:46.00.
|
