Healthy Robinson holds off Symmonds.

Byline: Curtis Anderson The Register-Guard

INDIANAPOLIS - With 100 meters to go, Nick Symmonds flipped the switch.

The young challenger from Oregon Track Club Elite was counting on his trademark kick to catch two-time defending U.S. champion Khadevis Robinson in the final of the 800 meters at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships on Sunday.

The crowd of 7,407 at Carroll Stadium stood and cheered as Symmonds, just 23 years old, surged down the final straightaway, his arms pumping with exertion, as he tried to secure his first U.S. outdoor title by running down Robinson.

But on this day, the margin was too great to overcome.

The 30-year-old Robinson, who was ranked seventh in the world last year by Track & Field News, had gapped the field early, and nobody was going to deny his charge across the finish line with a first-place time of 1 minute, 44.37 seconds.

`You reap what you sow,' said Robinson, who collected his fourth U.S. title with the second-fastest time in the world this year. `And I've been sowing a lot of hard work and sacrifice over the years.'

Symmonds, who burst onto the national scene by placing second to Robinson in similar fashion last season, desperately wanted the victory, but he was pleased with his effort, and he had nothing but praise for the way Robinson ran the race.

`He came prepared today with fresh legs,' said Symmonds, the runner-up at 1:45.17, the second-fastest 800 of his life. `I thought when we went out that fast, he would come back a little harder over that last 100, but he's obviously in great shape. He ran faster than I've ever run it, and he's ranked seventh in the world.'

Symmonds had reason to be confident against Robinson.

It was just two weeks ago that he took an even bigger scalp at the Prefontaine Classic with a victory over Russian gold medalist Yuriy Borzakovskiy with a PR of 1:44.54. Not too many people took notice of Robinson's third-place finish at 1:44.99.

What they didn't know was that Robinson was training through the race after dealing with an abdominal injury that forced a late start to his season. Coming into the U.S. championships, he said his speed workouts had only consisted of three sessions.

`At Pre, I wasn't rested up,' Robinson said. `That's what people don't understand.'

On Sunday, Robinson made his break 200 meters into the race and never looked back. Symmonds knew he couldn't sit back for long, so he moved up to sixth with 300 to go, and began trying to close the gap, coming through the 600-meter mark at 1:17.5.

`That's the fastest I've ever been there,' he marveled.

Coming off the final turn, Symmonds knew he had second locked up, and he was beginning to close on Robinson when he ran out of track. It didn't help that he needed to run 1:46 in both qualifying heats just to make the final, but he was pleased with his effort.

`I knew I would have to start closing with 300 to go,' he said. `I was going to be pleased as long as I tried to close that space down a little bit and I did. ... I feel like I gave it 100 percent today, there's no shame in losing to K.D.'

In an extremely tight battle for the third, USC's Duane Solomon hit the line at 1:45.69, barely holding off Jonathan Johnson (1:45.79) and Northern Arizona's Lopez Lomong (1:45.79) to join Robinson and Symmonds on the U.S. team that will run at the World Championships in Japan later this summer.

Symmonds can't wait to put on the American uniform.

`Every time I throw on the U.S. singlet, it gives me chills,' said the seven-time Division III champion from Willamette University in Salem. `I remember when I first got that box in the mail last year. I opened it up, threw on the tights and just stood in front of the mirror, thinking, `this is a good feeling.' I knew I would do anything it took, anything legal that is, to get that jersey on again.'

If Sunday's race is any indication, Symmonds will be draped in USA gear for a long time to come.

`Who knows where I'll be by September?' he said. `It's going to be a great experience to go out there and compete on the world level; and next year, with another year of strength, I'll be 24, and I really like my chances.'