MileSplit Best of 2008
For us here at MileSplit and hopefully the rest of the prep X-C and track and field world, 2008 was a year like no other. It was an Olympic year. A historic year. Simply an amazing 365 days.
It was a year in which we not only saw the prep stars that we cover on a daily basis qualify for the Olympic Trials, but one in which they announced their presence with authority.
It was a year in which we witnessed five new national standards on the track; six more all-time No. 2 performances were also recorded.
Pictured right in photo by Margot Kelly, Elijah Greer (OR) winning the 800 meters in a stunning 1:47.68, U.S. #4 all-time
It was a year where several cross country teams and athletes competed for the moniker of best ever; not to mention a myriad of other truly mind-boggling performances.
As the year draws to a close, we will be counting down what we felt were the 10 best performances of 2008. Today we revisit the moment voted #3 by our staff and webmasters.
Wayne Davis (NC), pictured below in photo by John Herzog, winning the 55m hurdles in 7.08, U.S. #2 all-time
#3
June 21, 2008 - German Fernandez (CA) clocks 8:34.40 breaking the 29-year-old national high school two-mile record of 8:36.30 set by Jeff Nelson.
By Christopher Hunt
photo by Tim Fulton/ArmoryTrack.com
GREENSBORO, N.C. – It looked like he smiled. He said he didn’t. But he looked like he did.
For a second, it seemed that he grinned at the gloriousness of the moment. It looked like somehow German Fernandez broke free of himself to enjoy history as he was making it.
But it was the pain.
It was the pain that gripped him and not a smile but a grit on his face because his lungs had begun to burn. His flash of teeth was the only sign of weakness, the only insight to the fact that his effort could not have possibly been as simple as it looked.
Fernandez of Riverbank, Calif., broke a 29 year-old national record, winning the 2-mile at the Nike Outdoor Nationals in 8:34.40 in one of the most anticipated scholastic races in history. His time bested a mark set by Jeff Nelson in 1979 of 8:36.3. His 3,000-meter en route mark of 7:59.43 also set a national record. Read more...
Event 13 Boys 2 Mile Run
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Name Year School Seed Finals
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1 Fernandez, German 08 Riverbank, CA 8:38.23 8:34.40 3000 Split 7:59.83
2 Puskedra, Luke 08 Ogden, UT 8:46.00 8:47.06
3 Lowe, Colby 08 Southlake, TX 8:57.32 8:47.07
4 Finnerty, Robert 08 Burnsville, MN 9:04.94 8:50.96
5 Williams, Kevin 08 Lakewood, CO 8:58.27 8:51.30
6 Darling, Maverick 08 Ovid, MI 9:02.78 8:57.80
7 Aprill, Bobby 08 Dexter, MI 9:06.84 8:59.50
8 Unterreiner, Miles 08 Gig Harbor, WA 9:06.68 9:02.48
9 Kaulbach, Max 08 Philadelphia, PA 9:02.69 9:06.44
10 Keveren, Sean 08 Brentwood, TN 9:02.18 9:06.59
Post race interview with Fernandez
#4 Jeff Demps (FL) breaks national record in the 100m dash
#5 Chanelle Price runs 2:01.61 in Pre Classic 800m, U.S. #2 A-T
#6 Fayetteville-Manlius captures third consecutive national championship
#7 Eleanor Roosevelt (MD) runs U.S. record 4x800 at Penn
#8 Hasay beats Chetelat, 9:52.13-9:52.51, 3200m, U.S. #2 & #3 A-T
#9 Christine Babcock US #2 all-time 1600/Mile
#10 Ryann Krais US #2 all-time heptathlon
Front page photos by Tim Fulton and Vic Sailer