June 27, 2009

400 Meter Finals Results | Video of Miles Smith in Prelims

EUGENE, Ore. (Saturday, June 27, 2009) - Former Redhawks All-American sprinter Miles Smith's bid to make the US National Team came up short at the 2009 USA Track & Field National Championships held at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon as he finished eighth in the 400 meter finals with a time of 46.09. Smith needed to finish in the top three to garner an automatic berth unto the USA National Team that will compete in the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Berlin, Germany.

Wearing a Southeast Missouri State track & field singlet, Smith got out of the blocks in Lane 1 quickly and pulled even with the star-studded pack at 150 meters. On the final turn however Smith got caught in the strong headwind on the backstretch and faultered as 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist LaShawn Merritt easily won with a time of 44.50 matching his best and the world's best time this year.

Gil Roberts of Texas Tech finished second with a time of 44.93 followed by Kerron Clement (45.14), who won the silver medal in the 400 meter hurdles at the Olympics.

The field was minus Olympic silver medalist Jeremy Weiner but included three medalists from last summer's Beijing Olympic Games including two of the three medalists from the 400 meters in Merritt and David Neville (Bronze Medalist).

Smith, the only runner in the field running unattached (without college eligibility or sponsorship), qualified for the finals after finishing third in his semifinals heat with a time of 46.08 on Friday. His semifinal time was the seventh best time of the eight finals qualifiers. He won his preliminary heat on Thursday with a time of 46.23.

Smith was a member of the 2005 USA National Team as a member of the 4X400 meter relay team. That year he finished sixth at the US Nationals and later earned a gold medal as a member of the 4X400 meter relay team at the 2005 IAAF World Championships in Helsinki, Finland.

Smith was a five-time All-American for the Redhawks and finished his collegiate career in 2008. His bid to make last year's Olympic team came to end as he placed 12th at the Olympic Trials.