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QuickTake:
The Oregon men are in second place after the first day of competition.
The Ducks’ 1500-meter ace Simeon Birnbaum is not shy.
He wears diamond studs in both ears. A gold cross around his neck. Shades that he keeps on, even in the dim light of the media tent. He rarely smiles.
He spoke to reporters after his first-round race at the NCAA Track and Field Championships Wednesday, June 10. The heat went out with a slow first lap, and Birnbaum, a junior, tucked in along the rail in second from last place. After 600 meters, he picked up the pace and moved to the front, advancing easily to Friday’s final.
“I’m not going to lie. I kind of just kind of got bored today,” he said of his early move. “I just wanted to get it over with and move on. Wanted to get to the front, not thinking anymore. I just want to not think and push my body. Like, I look forward to hurting.
“I look forward to making other people hurt more, though.”
Birnbaum does not lack for confidence in his own abilities.
Nor should he. He’s the collegiate record holder in the event — he ran 3:31.69 in April, a time almost a second and a half faster than that of every other entrant in the field at the national championship meet.
Birnbaum was asked if he saw himself lowering that collegiate record in the final.
His reply?
“I see myself winning the final.”
The University of Oregon otherwise had a solid day Wednesday.
- In the team standings, UO was in second place with 18 points, behind Nebraska with 28.
- Ben Smith won the shot put, with a throw of 21.04 meters, earning 10 points for the Ducks. Kobe Lawrence was fourth, picking up another 5.
- Pat Vialva and Daniel Thrana finished seventh and eighth, respectively in the javelin, picking up 3 points.
- In addition to Birnbaum, Tomas Palfrey and Elliott Cook advanced to the 1500-meter final.
- The 4 x 100-meter relay team advanced on time to the eight-team final. As long as they get the baton around the track, they’ll score for the Ducks.
- Benjamin Balazs advanced in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.
A world record went down in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, when Ja’Kobe Tharp of Auburn University ran 12.75 in the second heat. The lone Ducks entrant, Kai Graves-Blanks, was in the third heat. Those runners were delayed at the start line waiting for Tharp’s celebration. Graves-Blanks was seventh in his heat and did not advance.
Famous fans
Kelly Graves, the UO women’s basketball coach, was not home watching Game 4 of the NBA finals Wednesday night. Instead, he sat near the finish line at Hayward. He’s a big track fan, especially at the collegiate level, where every point counts toward the team score.
His favorite events are the 800 meters, the 1500 meters and the 4 x 400-meter relay, the last event each night on the track, following the 10,000 meters (which is 25 laps). He stays until the bitter end.
“Heck yeah,” Graves said. “I love it.”
