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Andrew Wheating
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Andrew "Andy" Wheating (born November 21, 1987) is a retired American middle-distance runner. Wheating competed for the United States in the men's 800 m at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, and in the 1500 m at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He was a professional runner for Nike.[1]
Key Information
Personal
[edit]Wheating was born in 1987 in Norwich, Vermont,[2] the son of Justin and Betsy Wheating. His father, born in South Africa, was a field hockey player.[3]
High school
[edit]Wheating originally played soccer in high school. He ran two seasons of cross country and one season of track during his stay at Kimball Union Academy. During his first season of track in his senior year, he burst onto the track scene, ranking fourth nationally with a time of 3:54.28 in the 1500 m. He led the nation with a 14:55.28 indoor 5000 m time. His school coach was Buzz Morrison. Wheating became one of the four incoming freshmen at the University of Oregon that ranked top ten nationally in the 1500 m.
College career
[edit]Wheating attended the University of Oregon in Eugene; his major was sociology. During his first year of track during the 2006–2007 season, Wheating ran the 800 m for the first time, and led the Ducks in the 800 with a time of 1:50.17. He got points in Pac-10 competition and was part of three relays that were all top five in school history. In addition, he was ranked seventh nationally in the 1500 metres with a time of 3:45.17. Wheating skipped his freshman year of cross country, making 2007 his first season. He was on the All-Pac-10 Second Team for finishing top fourteen in league competition.
During his second season of track in his sophomore year, Wheating became one of the leaders in both the 800 and 1500 nationally. He won eleven straight races in the 800 m races before losing by .01s to Jacob Hernandez in the NCAA Division I national championship. He also excelled in the 1500, clocking a time of 3:38.60, good enough for sixth all time on the University of Oregon list. His time in the 1500 was an NCAA best in 2008, but chose to compete in the 800 instead in both NCAA Nationals and the Olympic Trials. His time of 1:45.03 at the Olympic Trials was good for second on the all-time Univ. of Oregon 800 metres list. He was the NCAA champion in the 800 in both 2009 and 2010. In winning the 1500 at the 2010 NCAA championship he became the first Division I man to win both the 800 and 1500 in the same season since fellow Duck Joaquim Cruz in 1984.
2008 Olympic Trials & Games
[edit]At the 2008 Olympic Trials, Wheating ran a personal best time of 1:45.03, finishing in second place behind Nick Symmonds and earning a spot on the US Olympic Team. His somewhat unexpected qualification was the middle of the Oregon Sweep. In Beijing, he finished fourth in his qualifying heat and failed to advance to the semifinals.[4]
Professional
[edit]On July 16, 2010, Wheating improved on his personal best in the 800 m with a time of 1:44.62.[5][6] Six days later, on July 22, Wheating improved on his personal best in the 1500 m with a time of 3:30.90.[7] That was nearly seven seconds better than his previous best and the fourth-best mark in U.S. history.[8]
At the 2011 World Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Daegu, Wheating finished 8th in his 1500m heat by running a 3:42.68. Wheating placed fourth in 3:48.19 at the 1500 meters at 2011 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.[9]
In 2012, Wheating made his 2nd Olympic team by placing 3rd at the USA Trials. He made it through the quarterfinals, but failed to qualify to the finals by placing 9th and running a 3:44.88 in his Semi-Final Heat.
In 2013 Wheating failed to qualify for the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia by placing 12th at the 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, running a 4:01.55.[10]
At the 2015 2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Wheating placed 5th in 3:39.47 to qualify for Pan Am 1500m and NACAC 1500m in Costa Rica where Andrew won gold medals for the
United States in the 2015 Pan Am 1500m and NACAC 1500m.[11]
Andrew partnered with Alexi Pappas to make short films for The New York Times.[12] Andrew Wheating placed 11th in 1500 meters at 2016 United States Olympic Trials (track and field) in 3:41.22.[13]
Personal bests
[edit]| Event | Time | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 800 m (outdoor) | 1:44.56 | London | August 13, 2010 |
| 1500 m (outdoor) | 3:30.90 | Fontvieille | July 22, 2010 |
| 800 m (indoor) | 1:48.04 | Portland, Oregon | February 5, 2016 |
| 1000 m (indoor) | 2:18.68 | Boston | February 14, 2016 |
| Mile run (outdoor) | 3:51.74 | Eugene | March 13, 2010 |
| Mile run (indoor) | 3:58.20 | Seattle | February 27, 2010 |
Retirement
[edit]Andrew announced his retirement from Pro-Running on January 4, 2018; he was 30 years old.[14]
References
[edit]- ^ "Wheating agrees to endorsement deal with Nike". The Associated Press. July 28, 2010. Retrieved August 2, 2010.
- ^ "Andy Wheating '06 Wins Junior Olympics in Cross Country". Kimball Union Academy. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
- ^ "Off To A Blazing Start". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on September 21, 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2010.
- ^ "Athletics at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games: Men's 800 metres Round One". Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
- ^ "Wheating sets personal best at Paris event". USA Today. July 16, 2010. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
- ^ "Wheating sets personal mark in 800 in Paris". Statesman Journal. July 17, 2010. Retrieved July 24, 2010. [dead link]
- ^ "Monaco Herculis 1500m-22.07.2010". Monaco Meet Results Archive. July 22, 2010. Archived from the original on March 24, 2012. Retrieved 2012-01-05.
- ^ Rob Mitchell (July 23, 2010). "Vermonter Wheating kicks to No. 4 American ever". Barre Montpelier Times Argus. Retrieved July 24, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ 2011 Men's 1500 Meter Run Senior final USATF. June 28, 2011.
- ^ 2013 USA Track & Field Championships Results - 6/19/2013 to 6/23/2013 Drake Stadium - Des Moines, Iowa Archived October 13, 2016, at the Wayback Machine USATF. June 28, 2013.
- ^ "USATF Championships- Results by Day". www.usatf.org. Archived from the original on October 5, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
- ^ Runners on Film: Alexi Pappas Makes More Movies Nytimes.com TARA PARKER-POPE. JULY 7, 2016.
- ^ 2016 US Olympic Trials 1500m final Archived July 15, 2016, at the Wayback Machine USATF. July 10, 2016.
- ^ Butler, Sarah Lorge (January 5, 2018). "Andrew Wheating on His Retirement: "I Have No Regrets"". Runner's World. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
External links
[edit]Andrew Wheating
View on GrokipediaEarly Life and Background
Family and Personal Details
Andrew Wheating was born on November 21, 1987, in Norwich, Vermont.[10] He holds American nationality.[1] Wheating is the son of Justin and Betsy Wheating.[11] He has two sisters, Julian and Natalie.[2] His father, Justin, was born in South Africa and raised in England, where he competed as a field hockey player.[11][12] Standing at 6 feet 5 inches (1.95 m) tall, Wheating's imposing physical stature was notable throughout his athletic career.[2] Prior to pursuing running, Wheating focused on soccer during his early high school years at Kimball Union Academy.[13] He began cross country as a junior in fall 2004, marking the start of his development in distance events.[13][14][15]High School Achievements
Andrew Wheating attended Kimball Union Academy, a preparatory school in Meriden, New Hampshire, where he initially focused on soccer rather than track and field.[16] Growing up in Norwich, Vermont, with a family background in athletics, Wheating had limited exposure to running until his junior year.[17] In his junior year, Wheating shifted from soccer to cross country at the urging of his soccer coach Scribner Fauver and under the guidance of cross country coach Buzz Morrison.[18][19] In this debut cross country season, he won the 2005 USATF National Junior Olympic Championships in the 5K.[19] Kimball Union Academy lacked a track team, so in his senior year, Wheating transitioned to track events, training unattached under private coach Jeff Johnson and first competing in the winter indoor season.[12][20] Morrison continued to play a supportive role in nurturing Wheating's emerging talent during this period.[18] Wheating quickly demonstrated exceptional potential. Indoors, he set the fastest high school time in the nation for the 5000 meters at 14:55.28 during the USATF New England Championships.[11] Outdoors, he placed 8th at the 2006 USATF Junior Championships in the 1500 meters with a time of 3:54.28, which ranked 10th nationally among high schoolers.[21][17] These performances highlighted his rapid adaptation to the sport and established him as a top prep prospect heading into college.[22]Collegiate Career
University of Oregon Enrollment
Andrew Wheating enrolled at the University of Oregon in 2006 as a freshman, pursuing a degree in sociology.[16] His recruitment to the Ducks was influenced by his emerging high school performances at Kimball Union Academy in Vermont, where he had shown promise in distance events.[7] During the 2006-07 indoor and outdoor track seasons, Wheating made his collegiate debut in the 800 meters, a distance he had not competed in previously. He clocked a personal best of 1:50.17 in the event, leading the Oregon team and ranking ninth nationally among freshmen at the end of the outdoor regular season.[23] This performance also earned him a spot as a Pac-10 scorer and an NCAA Regional qualifier in both the 800 and 1,500 meters.[23] Wheating's early collegiate progression was supported by the University of Oregon's renowned distance program under head coach Vin Lananna, who guided the team's training and development.[24] As a newcomer, he quickly adapted to the competitive environment, contributing to the Ducks' relay teams and building a foundation for his middle-distance specialization through consistent training and competition.[25]NCAA Championships and Records
During his tenure at the University of Oregon, Andrew Wheating emerged as one of the most dominant middle-distance runners in NCAA history, securing five national titles across individual and relay events.[23] He won the 800 meters at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships in a time of 1:46.21, overcoming a cramping calf injury in the final stretch to edge out Tevan Everett of Texas by 0.06 seconds.[26][27] Wheating repeated as the 800 meters champion in 2010, clocking 1:45.69 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships held on his home track in Eugene, Oregon, marking the second-fastest collegiate time of the season.[28][29] Additionally, he contributed to Oregon's distance medley relay victories, anchoring the winning team at the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championships and again in 2010 with a time of 9:36.87.[23][30] Wheating's most historic achievement came at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships, where he became the first Oregon Duck since Joaquim Cruz in 1984 to sweep the 800 meters and 1500 meters titles in the same meet.[29] In the 1500 meters final, he surged to victory in 3:47.94, leading an Oregon sweep of the top three spots alongside teammates A.J. Acosta and Matthew Centrowitz, a feat that underscored the Ducks' middle-distance prowess under coach Vin Lananna.[31] This double victory highlighted Wheating's tactical maturity and endurance, as he competed in both events just 24 hours apart despite the physical demands.[32] Throughout his collegiate career, Wheating set personal bests that established him as a record-caliber performer, including 1:45.03 in the 800 meters and 3:37.52 in the 1500 meters, times that ranked among the top in the nation during his era.[23] These performances not only earned him All-American honors multiple times but also contributed to Oregon's team successes, including a third-place finish at the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships.[29] His relay anchors in the DMR events were particularly pivotal, often providing the decisive closing speed that secured national titles for the Ducks.[23]Olympic and International Competitions
2008 Beijing Olympics
Andrew Wheating secured his qualification for the 2008 Summer Olympics by finishing second in the men's 800 meters final at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, on June 30, 2008, with a personal best time of 1:45.03.[23] This performance, achieved during his sophomore year at the University of Oregon, marked a breakthrough following his strong collegiate season and earned him a spot on the U.S. team alongside winner Nick Symmonds.[33] At the Beijing Olympics, held from August 8 to 24, Wheating competed in the men's 800 meters, making his international debut at the age of 20.[34] He was assigned to Heat 7 of the first round on August 20 at the National Stadium, where the top two finishers from each heat advanced directly to the semifinals.[35] In the heat, Wheating ran a time of 1:47.05 but placed fourth, behind Kuwait's Mohammad Al-Azemi (1:46.94), Bahrain's Yusuf Saad Kamel (1:46.94), and the Netherlands' Robert Lathouwers (1:46.94), failing to advance to the semifinals.[34] Despite the disappointment, the race provided valuable experience in a highly competitive field, highlighting the challenges of transitioning to elite international competition.[35]2011 World Championships in Athletics
Wheating qualified for the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Athletics by placing third in the men's 1500 meters at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, on June 25, 2011, with a time of 3:37.75. At the championships held in Daegu, South Korea, from August 27 to September 4, Wheating competed in the men's 1500 meters. In Heat 2 of the opening round on August 29, he finished eighth with a time of 3:42.68, failing to advance to the semifinals as only the top six from each heat progressed along with the next two fastest times overall.[36]2012 London Olympics
Wheating qualified for his second Olympic appearance by securing third place in the men's 1500 m final at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.[37] In a competitive field that included several sub-3:36 performers, he clocked 3:36.68, finishing behind winner Leo Manzano (3:35.75) and Matthew Centrowitz (3:35.84), which earned him a spot on the U.S. team for the London Games.[38] This result marked a career milestone, building on his 2008 Olympic experience in the 800 m. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Wheating competed in the men's 1500 m event, which featured three heats, two semifinals, and a final at the Olympic Stadium.[39] In the second heat of the opening round on August 3, he placed seventh with a time of 3:40.92, advancing to the semifinals as one of the fastest losers.[40] Two days later, in the first semifinal, Wheating finished ninth in 3:44.88, failing to qualify for the final, where the top five from each semifinal plus two fastest losers advanced.[41] His semifinal performance placed him 22nd overall in the event.Pan American and NACAC Games
Following his participation in the 2012 London Olympics, Andrew Wheating marked key highlights in his professional international career with dominant performances at regional competitions in 2015. These victories in the 1500 meters at the Pan American Games and NACAC Championships underscored his resurgence as a top middle-distance runner, competing against strong North and Central American fields.[1][10] At the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, Canada, Wheating secured the gold medal in the men's 1500 meters final on July 24, clocking a time of 3:41.41 to narrowly defeat Canada's Nathan Brannen, who earned silver in 3:41.66.[42] This win represented Wheating's first international gold medal and highlighted his tactical racing prowess in a tightly contested field.[43][44] Just weeks later, Wheating extended his success at the 2015 NACAC Championships in Athletics, held August 7–9 in San José, Costa Rica, where he again claimed gold in the 1500 meters. He set a championship record of 3:45.08, with American teammate Daniel Winn taking silver in 3:45.43.[1][10][45] This performance, coming fresh off his Pan American triumph, affirmed Wheating's peak form and contributed to the United States' strong showing in distance events at the meet.[5]Professional Running Career
Signing with Nike and Training
Following his graduation from the University of Oregon in June 2010, Andrew Wheating signed a professional endorsement contract with Nike on July 28, 2010, marking his transition from collegiate to professional athletics. This deal allowed him to remain based in Eugene, Oregon, where he had built his success during college, and was facilitated by his standout NCAA performances, including the rare 800m and 1500m double win that year.[46][47] Wheating affiliated with the Nike-sponsored Oregon Track Club Elite (OTC Elite), a professional training group in Eugene focused on developing top-tier distance runners. Initially, he continued training under his University of Oregon coach, Vin Lananna, who emphasized tactical refinements for middle-distance events to help Wheating adapt to international competition. In 2013, Wheating switched to OTC Elite head coach Mark Rowland, a former Olympic medalist, who guided the group's evolution toward more structured speed and endurance sessions tailored to elite group dynamics.[12][48] Under these coaches, Wheating's training regimen evolved to specialize in middle-distance events, particularly the 800m and 1500m, prioritizing aerobic capacity building through high-intensity interval sessions and tactical positioning drills. Early workouts with Lananna incorporated group runs with peers like decathlete Ashton Eaton and Stanford graduate Russell Brown, fostering competitive dynamics that enhanced motivation and pacing skills. With Rowland, the focus shifted to intensive repeats, such as four-mile efforts on Pre's Trail at race-like intensity, within the collaborative OTC Elite environment that included athletes like Nick Symmonds and Sally Kipyego, promoting shared recovery strategies and peer-driven improvements.[11][49][50]Key Races and Performances
Andrew Wheating's professional career, beginning after his 2010 NCAA double championship, featured standout performances in elite international meets and domestic competitions, particularly in the 800 meters and 1500 meters. In his debut professional season, Wheating competed in the Diamond League series, marking a promising transition to the global stage. On July 22, 2010, at the Herculis meeting in Monaco, he finished fourth in the 1500 meters with a time of 3:30.90, a breakthrough that ranked him among the top American performers that year.[51][1] Later that summer, on August 13, 2010, at the Aviva London Grand Prix in London, Wheating secured second place in the 800 meters, clocking 1:44.56 and demonstrating his closing speed against world-class fields.[52][53] Throughout the early 2010s, Wheating maintained consistent top finishes in U.S. national championships, establishing himself as a reliable contender in middle-distance events. At the 2011 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, he advanced through the heats with a semifinal win in 3:39.88 before placing fourth in the 1500 meters final.[54][55] The following year, at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, Wheating earned third place in the 1500 meters with 3:36.68, securing his spot on the Olympic team.[56] He continued this pattern with a fifth-place finish in the 1500 meters at the 2015 USA Outdoor Championships (3:39.47), qualifying for regional international events.[2] However, performances tapered in later years, including 12th-place results in the 1500 meters at the 2013 (4:01.55) and 2016 (3:41.22) championships.[57][58] Wheating's career arc reflected resilience amid persistent challenges, with top-five finishes in major U.S. 1500-meter races from 2011 to 2015 underscoring his competitive edge before a decline toward 2017. Injuries, particularly hamstring and tendon issues emerging around 2013, disrupted his training and led to form fluctuations that prompted early retirement considerations.[59][60] Despite these setbacks, he occasionally resurfaced with strong showings, such as winning the 2014 Portland Track Festival 1500 meters after a period of recovery.[61] These hurdles ultimately contributed to his decision to retire in 2018, having competed professionally for seven seasons marked by both highs and battles against physical limitations.[6][5]Personal Best Times
Andrew Wheating's personal best performances in key outdoor middle-distance events were all achieved in 2010, marking the peak of his competitive career. These times, verified by World Athletics, highlight his prowess in the 800 meters, 1500 meters, and mile.[1]| Event | Time | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 800 m | 1:44.56 | August 13, 2010 | Crystal Palace, London, UK[1] |
| 1500 m | 3:30.90 | July 22, 2010 | Stade Louis II, Fontvieille, Monaco[1] |
| Mile | 3:51.74 | July 3, 2010 | Hayward Field, Eugene, Oregon, USA[1] |
