THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 17, 1996 TAG: 9607170529
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 50 lines
Brian Hyde spent his first morning as an Olympian stranded in Northern Virginia, waiting for the thermostat in his truck to be replaced.
That was after nearly blowing a gasket Friday, as he watched another 1,500-meter runner nearly claim the last spot on the U.S. team.
Hyde was in Durham, N.C., where conditions seemed ripe for Erik Nedeau - who finished ahead of Hyde at the Olympic trials - to finally run the qualifying time he needed to make the team, in the 1,500 meters.
Nedeau was one of two runners who finished ahead of Hyde but had not met the Olympic standard of 3:38.
Friday's race at Duke University seemed to be the ideal setting for Nedeau to meet the standard.
``The weather was good, the pace was perfect, the crowd was huge,'' said Walt Drenth, Hyde's coach at William and Mary. ``We thought he (Nedeau) was in.''
A ``rabbit'' was brought in to set a fast pace, and did, through 1,000 meters. But Nedeau couldn't sustain it, and finished second, in 3:40.02.
Nedeau and Jim Sorensen - the other runner ahead of Hyde at the trials - tried again Monday night at a meet in Montreal, but again failed. Hyde, who has met the qualifying standard, learned Tuesday morning that he had made the team.
``I expected to find out (Monday) night,'' he said. ``It would have been nice. I would have slept a little bit better.''
Nedeau and Sorensen criss-crossed the country - and the Atlantic Ocean - in a desperate attempt to meet the standard. Sorenson ran Friday in London, then flew to Montreal to run. Monday was the deadline for meeting the standard.
``We felt for those guys,'' Drenth said. ``That had to be pretty nerve-wracking. But those are the rules.''
Hyde met the standard last year, when he ran 3:35.84, which is the American collegiate record. Hyde, from Kentwood, Mich., graduated from William and Mary in May.
The 23-year-old has not run much this season, due to a back injury. He was fifth at the Olympic trials, in 3:44.13. Hyde said the back injury has been frustrating, though it seems to be easing.
``I mean I still have days that I'm sore, but it is not restricting me as far as working out,'' he said. ``It's not tightening like it was.
``I tried to train like I'd made it from the start. Now, I'm ready.''
Drenth said Hyde can probably make the finals. Expecting him to be a medal contender is not realistic, he said.
``He's going to go and have a lot of fun,'' Drenth said. ``I think he'll race his heart out.'' MEMO: The Associated Press contributed to this story. by CNB