Christian Smith to leave Oregon Track Club

Oregon Track Club has announced the departure of team member Christian Smith. In order to complete his undergraduate degree from Kansas State University; Smith will return to the Manhattan, Kansas campus. Smith spoke highly of his time in Eugene.

“Leaving Eugene after only a year and a half has been a very difficult decision to make. The town and team made the experience everything I hoped it would be. Being a part of Eugene’s 800m sweep at the trials will always mean so much to me. I am moving back to Kansas to finish my degree that I put on hold to come to Eugene before the Olympic year. I have had a great fall of training, I feel like my fitness has improved drastically from last year. I will continue to have good relationships with everyone at the Oregon Track Club” said Smith.

Christian Smith joined the Oregon Track Club in 2007.  The 800 meter runner qualified for the Beijing Games in a dramatic third place finish in front of his home crowd at the 2008 Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore.

Smith vaulted himself at the finish line in front of 2004 Olympian Khadevis Robinson in grabbing the final roster spot for the Beijing Olympics in posting a time of 1:45.47.

Oregon Track Club Meet: Nick Symmonds vs. Matt Scherer!

The Oregon Track Club is hosting a last ditch meet in Eugene on Sunday. This is the last day to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Trials being held in less than three weeks. Some athletes are also using the meet as tune up to the Olympic Trials which are taking place June 27 at the Hayward Field Track & Field Complex on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene.

Right now PreraceJitters.com can confirm that the Oregon Track Club meet will feature a 600-meter race pitting 800-meter runners Nick Symmonds (1:45.01.) vs. Matt Scherer (1:46.11) in a head-to-head match featuring just the two runners in the race.

This will be the first 600-meters of Scherer’s career, while Symmonds has quite a few of 600s during his career.

The meet list has not been released but we can also confirm the event list will be determined by entrants.