What is the best seat in the house?
Near the finish line?
In the middle of the homestretch?
No, it's having a bird's eye view!
At the 2016, Dogwood Track Classic in Charlottesville, Virginia, a drone was used to capture one of the nation's fastest 800m races of the year. Chantilly's Brandon McGorty, Loudoun Valley's Drew Hunter and Fork Union's Alexander Lomong raced for the country's third, fourth and fifth times in the 800m.
McGorty lead the race from the opening gun while Lomong and Hunter jockeyed for second place throughout the two lap race just a few meters behind. With 120m left to go in this race, McGorty's fatigue start to settle in and Lomong and Hunter pounced on the opportunity to go for the win.
Lomong and Hunter closed the gap with 90m to go. About 50m from the finish line, Hunter took the inside of lane one, Lomong was in lane two, and McGorty was in between. Over the final 30m, all three pumped their arms, trying to gain an edge in a blanket finish.
McGorty crossed the finish line with a time of 1:48.58 with Hunter close in second with a 1:48.64. Lomong was barely third with a time of 1:48.67. All three broke John Hinton's meet record of 1:50.80 that had stood since 1981. These times were the nation's third, fourth and fifth fastest in 2016. Sean Torpy of Sandburg High School (IL) ran the nation's fastest time that year with a 1:47.95.
McGorty continued his athletic and academic career to Stanford. Hunter committed to the University of Oregon, but then during the summer of 2016 he decided to pursue his professional career with Adidas. Lomong competes and studies at Ohio State University.
Boys 800 Meter Run
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Meet: M 1:50.80 1981 John Hinton, Tunstall
Name Year School Finals H#
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1 Brandon McGorty 11 Chantilly 1:48.58M 1
52.405 (52.405) 1:48.574 (56.170)
2 Andrew Hunter 12 Loudoun Vall 1:48.64M 1
53.373 (53.373) 1:48.638 (55.265)
3 Alexander Lomong 12 Fork Union 1:48.67M 1
53.357 (53.357) 1:48.665 (55.308)
4 AJ Ernst Marblehead 1:50.95 1
54.801 (54.801) 1:50.948 (56.147)
5 Randall Neish 12 Glastonbury 1:51.42 1
54.693 (54.693) 1:51.411 (56.719)
6 Trevor Whiteside 12 Sherando 1:51.95 1
53.765 (53.765) 1:51.949 (58.184)
7 Ryan Buscaglia 11 Maggie Walke 1:52.87 1
54.959 (54.959) 1:52.864 (57.905)
8 Raul Chavez 12 Fauquier 1:53.20 1
54.863 (54.863) 1:53.194 (58.331)