Harris gets his second “B” standard in Indianapolis

Geoff Harris gambled on Indianapolis and won, literally.

Harris needed at least a 1:46.30 in order to secure a coveted “B” standard so that he could inch closer to an Olympic berth in the 800m.

Harris, a native of Halifax, had made the 800m “B” standard once already going into the final weeks before the Canadian Olympic trials at the end of June in Calgary.

At the Victoria Track Classic last Wednesday Harris took a nasty fall mid race and did not finish. He was uninjured, but it required that he find himself a fast race in order to lock up a second “B” standard effort. Previous to the fall in Victoria, he’d run four personal bests in a row and seemed destined to dip under 1:46.30 for a second time.

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Banking on a faster field south of the border, Harris opted for the American Miler’s Series 800m in Indianapolis on Saturday over the National Track League’s Donovan Bailey Invitational in Edmonton.

Harris seemed to make the right choice, as he won the American meet with a solid 1:46.12. He was pushed by fellow Canadian Richard West, who missed the “B” standard by a slim margin with a 1:46.47. Toronto area native Kyle Smith, also chasing the standard for a spot on the London squad placed in third, with a 1:46.47.

Harris must now secure a top 3 finish at the trials in order to guarantee a spot on the Olympic team. Fellow Canadian Andrew Ellerton may be on the outside looking in if that takes place and Ellerton does not find himself an “A+” standard (1:45.24) or two “B” standards (1:46.30) either before or at the trials. If that were to somehow play out, then Harris would require an “A” standard (1:45.60) of his own.

Another Canadian chasing the standard is Diane Cummins. The women’s 800m Canadian record holder also ran in Indianapolis on Saturday in the hope that she could dip under the two-minute barrier and grab an “A” standard for the first time this year. She ended up placing fourth in 2:03.78. Fellow Canadian Nicole Sifuentes won the race, but missed hitting the standard as well, running 2:02.20.

The picture is now becoming clearer with only a couple of weeks to go as the focus switches to the Calgary trials races.

Canadian athletes who have yet to lock up either two “B” standards or an “A” standard at this point are scrambling for races between now and the last week in June.

Running an Olympic standard at the trials could prove to be very difficult. There will be no pacers in any of the races and Calgary is at 3556 feet.