Grabbing the last spot is a Marshall family tradition

Stephen Mazzone

Thanks to YouTube and the internet, Myles Marshall has had the chance to watch one of the all-time great 800-meter races in U.S. history over and over again, a race that holds special meaning to the senior-to-be from Kingwood High in Texas.

It was the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials where his dad, John Marshall, earned a spot on team by placing third overall in 1 minute, 43.92 seconds, just mere inches ahead of pre-race favorite James Robinson.  In a mad dash to the finish line, Earl Jones edged John Gray for the victory with both dipping under the existing American record with identical times of 1:43.74.

At the time, the first four finishers at the Trials put them among the top five times ever run for the 800m distance. Jones would later earn bronze at the Summer Games in Los Angeles and eight years later Gray would do the same in Barcelona.

“That race in 1984 changed the American 800,” Myles Marshall said. “Before that, the times were a lot slower.”

This coming week, the Kingwood teenager will continue a path similar to the one his famous father took three decades ago. Beginning on Friday, July 25, with his preliminary heat, the young Marshall will match up against the best of the best in the 800m at the IAAF World Junior Championships (July 22-27) at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field.

He secured the right to represent the country in Eugene by placing second at the USTAF Junior Nationals on July 5 where he set an age 16 record for the two-lapper with a 1:48.43 clocking, a time that ironically eclipsed by .01 the national mark of his dad in 1980. It’s also the second fastest 800m ever run in the Lone Star State.

“I never even knew there was actually a record for that,” said Marshall, who was just a few meters behind Indiana University freshman Tretez Kinnaird (1:48.01) at the Junior Nationals. “(My dad) has always been telling me that I am two seconds faster than he was at this point.”

Marshall, whose PB ranks No. 2 for high school runners this year, has the momentum that could propel him to the finals of the Worlds next week. In the five races he has competed in the last two months, he has run 1:51.61 or faster.

Back on May 9, Marshall won his second straight 5A state crown. He cracked the 1:50 barrier for the first time a month later by placing third at the New Balance National Outdoor Championships on June 13 where he ran a more than two-second personal best of 1:49.24.

At the NBNO meet, Michigan’s Donovan Brazier, a junior from Grand Rapids Kenowa Hill, won with a time of 1:48.61. Finishing second was New Jersey’s Joseph White of DePaul Catholic at 1:49.24. Marshall edged Virginia’s Derek Holdsworth (1:49.36) for his placement.

He would have two more matchups with Holdsworth worth noting. The Lafayette senior defeated Marshall by a little more than a second to win the Brooks PR Invitational on June 21. But the Kingwood runner would return the favor by besting Holdsworth (1:49.07) at the Junior Nationals for the last qualifying spot for the Worlds.

Marshall relied on his kick to get the job done. He was in third place for most of the race. He passed his opening 400m at 53.3, about a second behind the front-runners.

“I knew I had good workouts going into the meet. My plan was to stay behind the leaders and then kick in the end. I am always confident in my kick,” Marshall said. “I got a little behind after the first lap and was still in third with 200 to go. I always have a good last 200.  (Holdsworth) went wide the last straightaway and that forced me to go wide. The last 100 I was able to release everything I had.”

In preparation for his season-ending meets, including his most important next week, Marshall has been hard at work on the track, focusing his attention on some quick leg turnover. An example of a recent workout was eight repeat 200s at 25 seconds each. He jogged the curves and walked the straightaways for his rest in between.

“I am kind of just doing a lot of faster stuff,” he said. “Any strength needs to be done at the beginning of the season. Now I need speed.”

Marshall admits he thrives on the competition whenever he laces up his racing flats.

“I can run as fast as I need to,” he said. “I don’t really like to run by myself. I need competition to run (fast).”

Judging by the last few months, the odds are favorable that another PR performance will happen for Marshall at the Worlds. The years ahead look positive as well.

Remember, he’s still young.

“I’m only 16,” he said. “I still have three more years to race at the Worlds.”

And just like his dad, perhaps the Olympics, too. It’s not too far-fetched.

Related Links:

 

 

Watch Videos of Myles Marshall