American Record: Jearl Miles-Clark, 1:56.40
2007 U.S. Champion: Alysia Johnson, 1:59.47
2004 Olympic Trials Champion: Jearl Miles-Clark, 1:59.06
Top 5 Seed Times:
1.) Alice Schmidt, 1:58.75
2.) Hazel Clark, 1:59.07
3.) Alysia Johnson, 1:59.29
4.) Katie Waits, 1:59.35
5.) Nicole Teter, 1:59.91
The women’s 800 meters promises to be very competitive, as there are five women with seed times under two minutes.
Schmidt has the fastest seed time in the field at 1:58.75 and was third at the 2007 U.S. championships. She was also second behind Maria Mutola at the Prefontaine Classic three weeks ago.
Clark, a three-time U.S. outdoor champion and 2007 runner-up, was eighth at the 2005 World Championships and has the most international success of any of the contenders.
Last year’s U.S. champion, Alysia Johnson from Cal, scratched out of the NCAA semifinal two weeks ago, but told reporters at the time it was more precautionary than anything.
Waits, formerly Katie Erdman of the University of Michigan, was runner-up to Johnson at the 2007 NCAA Championships.
Teter, a member of Oregon Track Club Elite, has the best PR of anyone in the field, but the mark of 1:57.97 dates from 2002.
Schmidt, by virtue of her fastest seed time and head-to-head victory over Clark in this year’s Prefontaine Classic, has to be considered the favorite, but don’t be surprised if Clark or Johnson come out on top.