Using a strong kick to come from as far back as eighth in the final lap of his fast 1,500 meters heat, Under Armour Dark Sky Distance’s Vince Ciattei advanced to Monday’s Olympic Trials finals in Eugene, Ore.
NAU sophomore Colin Sahlman, running in the same heat as Ciattei, challenged the leaders, Yared Nuguse and Hobbs Kessler, early, but faded badly in the last lap, finishing 11th.
It was a gustsy race for Ciattei, who bided his time for the first three laps in a race that Nuguse made sure went out faster than the first heat. Ciattei stayed out of harm’s way on the outside, occasionally drifting close to lane two, but made sure to maintain contact throughout. He put on an impressive kick in the final 400 meters to finish sixth in 3:34.63 — just off his season best of 3:34:62 at the New York Grand Prix on June 9.
Ciattei, 29, had the third fastest close in the race, behind Kessler (who ended up second to Nuguse) and the University of Washington’s Nathan Green, who placed fourth. Nuguse was clearly in control from the gun, winning in 3:34:09 to Kessler’s 3:34.16. Henry Wynne of the Brooks Beats was third in 3:34.40.
Sahlman, concluding a long season in which he finished fourth in the NCAA 1,500 finals, finished in 3:40.80.
The first heat went out much slower — though not really slow in the grand scheme of things. Cole Hocker won in 3:37.89, seemingly cruising.
Monday’s final, which will take place at 5:47 p.m., will consist of Nuguse, Kessler, Wynee, Green, Oregon’s Elliott Cook, Ciattei, Craig Engels, Hocker, Liam Murphy, Ethan Strand, Cooper Teare and Joe Waskom.
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