Robinson refines tactics in 800.

Byline: Bob Rodman The Register-Guard

There was a time when the attack approach worked well for Khadevis Robinson.

"I came out of college running tough, not worrying about all the strategies and just ran to win," Robinson said.

That plan, successful enough to secure an NCAA outdoor men's 800-meter championship in 1998, needed some tinkering.

The Olympian and three-time USA Outdoor Track & Field champion in the 800 quickly realized "the dynamics of racing at the professional level were different."

But the two-time Prefontaine Classic 800 winner still runs tough. He has no choice. Johnny Gray, the American record-holder for 22 years, is Robinson's demanding coach.

"We train extremely hard," said Robinson, among the headliners of a loaded 800 lineup for Sunday's Pre Classic at Hayward Field, an IAAF Grand Prix event set to begin at 12:35 p.m. with the women's javelin. "You see how fast Johnny ran, and you know it's no secret why.

"You train hard, you run hard. You put it on the line every time you go out there."

Gray, a bronze medalist in the 800 at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, set the United States standard of 1:42.60 in 1985. His time of 1:44.62, set in 1996, is the Prefontaine meet record.

"Johnny is old school," said Robinson, who competed for Texas Christian University and will turn 31 years old next month. "He knows what it takes to get to the next level.

"You can't argue with him. He's done it."

Robinson had a banner season in 2006, winning USA indoor and outdoor titles, recorded 11 of the top 12 outdoor times by an American, recorded his personal record of 1:43.68 and was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. and seventh in the world.

"But I'm still learning," said Robinson, who won the Pre meet's 800 with a time of 1:45.90 in 2000 and 1:46.73 in 1999.

Robinson rolls into Eugene after winning the Reebok Grand Prix 800 in 1:46.38 last weekend at New York. Two weeks ago, however, Robinson was fourth at the Road to Eugene '08 meet at Hayward, finishing with a time of 1:47.60.

"You're not going to do well every time, but that doesn't mean you don't run hard every time," he said. "Sometimes other guys just run faster."

Robinson's scheduled opponents on Sunday are familiar to him.

Yuriy Borzakovskiy of Russia is the 2004 Olympic gold medalist and was second in the Pre 800 two years ago; Canada's Gary Reed won the Pre Classic in 2005 and the Road to Eugene meet on May 27; David Krummenacker was ranked No. 3 in the U.S. last year; and Kenya's Alfred Yego was No. 9 in the world in 2006.

And there is Nick Symmonds, marching into the world of the elite 800 by winning the 2007 USA Indoor title, taking the Osaka Grand Prix victory last month and finishing third at the Road to Eugene meet.

"I've raced all those guys except Borzakovskiy and Yego," said Symmonds, who is making his second Pre Classic appearance after competing in the Bowerman Mile as an NCAA Division III Willamette University sophomore in 2004.

"I didn't have a good race at that first Pre meet for me," said Symmonds, coming off knee surgery and finishing 11th in 4:09.83 as Alan Webb ran off with the win in 3:50.85. "I felt star struck, like I was a spectator inside the race."

That was then.

"Now, I'm excited to toe the line with an Olympic gold medalist, to line up with a guy like Khadevis Robinson, a guy I look up to," said Symmonds, training in Eugene with his coach, Frank Gagliano.

"It's a quality international field, and I want to prove I can be in the hunt."

Robinson, too, plans on being in the hunt.

"My philosophy is that all fields are good fields," he said. "You never doubt anyone. These guys are tough, confident and have run fast times. They know how to race."

And how will they race?

"It's hard to tell," said Robinson, third in the 2001 and 2005 Prefontaine meets. "Guys expect me to lead, but if I decide not to, then everybody will sit back. Maybe somebody will want to run fast and push the pace, maybe everybody will sit and kick.

"I do know that if the beginning is not fast, people may finish strong, but they can't go back and get the time that was lost."

Which is why Gray's meet record and the Hayward Field record by Mark Everett (1:44.43) in 1993 and Dave Wottle's hand-time of 1:44.3 in 1972 may or may not be threatened.

"To win always is the main thing," Robinson said. "I really like Pre. It's a great meet with great fans and a great competition."

But ...

"But you have to keep things in perspective," he said. "You want to do well, but nationals are 10 days after the Pre meet. We have to peak for USA and again for the World Championships (at Osaka, Japan, in August)."

Symmonds, too, is keeping an eye on the big prize.

"The USA meet is the Super Bowl," he said. "It's what you focus on. Then the Worlds and preparing for a run at the 2008 Olympics."

And, Robinson said, en route to those goals "you need to make sure you don't empty your well but still try to run fast, still try to win."

PREFONTAINE CLASSIC

12:35 p.m., Sunday, at Hayward Field. TV: 1 p.m., NBC.