EUGENE (05-Jul) -- Leading nearly every step of today's men's steeplechase final on the penultimate day of these U.S. Olympic Trials at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field, Anthony Famiglietti was carried by the memory of two gifted athletes who were taken before their time: Ryan Shay and Steve Prefontaine.
Although Famiglietti and Shay weren't close friends, and Prefontaine died three years before the 29 year-old athlete was born, it was their pure love of running and competing which Famiglietti said helped drive him to run his best today, making his second Olympic team and winning his second U.S. steeplechase title.
"I didn't know too many people who thought the way I did about running, and trained the way that I did, and took it as seriously as I did," said Famiglietti about Shay after running away from the field in 8:20.24. "I finally got to sit down with Ryan in his home in Flagstaff... We had that moment where we had that conversation, and what happened in November really affected me in a deep way."
Shay, 28, collapsed and died of heart failure during last November's U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in New York City, succumbing about 8 km into the race at the bottom of an incline dubbed "Cat Hill" by New Yorkers for a statue of a cougar which is perched on a rock outcropping. Famiglietti, who lived in Manhattan until earlier this year, used that hill to do some of his hardest workouts.
"I run emotionally and I'm not afraid to put myself out there," Famiglietti continued. "I think that reflects in the way that I race. I think Ryan Shay was one of the guys who did that (and) Steve Prefontaine. Anything I can do to contribute to that guy's memory, and to what he contributed to my performance today... is immense. I think if we all focus on what he stood for, and what Prefontaine stood for, and what Eugene really stands for --not the commercialism behind it-- then this sport is really going to be unstoppable, and grow and take off."
Famiglietti's strong pace helped pave the way for Billy Nelson and Josh McAdams to make their first Olympic teams in second and third place, respectively. The diminutive Nelson, just 5'-5" and 123 pounds, ran the race of his life, passing reigning national champion McAdams in the final meters to take second in a personal best 8:21.47, comfortably under the Olympic Games "A" standard of 8:24.60 which he lacked prior to this afternoon's race. It was Nelson's second personal best during the meet.
"Coach (Mark Wetmore) and I talked and said Fam's probably going to take it out," said Nelson, who was grateful that a sub-"A" standard pace was being set in front of him. He added: "I was hoping that he would. When the gun went off and he went to the lead, I knew that all I had to concentrate on was being top three."
McAdams, the former Brigham Young athlete who is still coached by his college coach Ed Eyestone, was very happy with his race, despite falling to third behind Nelson. He ran 8:21.99, just slightly slower than his personal best.
"I feel so blessed," said McAdams. "The Lord has blessed me so much in my life. This is like the best year of my life right now: expecting a baby, going to grad school in the fall, going to be on an Olympic team. Life doesn't get much better."
It was a bitterly disappointing day for Steve Slattery, the 2003 national steeplechase champion who had the fastest career time in the field (8:15.69). Slattery was bothered by a painful Achilles tendon, fell off the pace, then crashed out in the water jump before dropping out of the race.
"I had a little problem with my Achilles in the prelim," Slattery told RunnerSpace.com. He continued: "On the third lap or so I felt, like, it release, a pop kind of thing."
Slattery said he was limping and couldn't push off on the water jump.
"I was hoping I could tough it out," said Slattery whose wife, Sara, finished fourth in last night's 5000m.
These Trials conclude tomorrow with the much-anticipated men's 1500m final where Bernard Lagat will clash with Alan Webb, Lopez Lomong, Leo Manzano and a resurgent Gabe Jennings. The women's 1500m final will also take place with U.S. time leader Shannon Rowbury hoping to make her first Olympic team ahead of challengers Treniere Clement and Christin Wurth. High Schooler Jordan Hasay is also in that final
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