Andrew Wheating
Encyclopedia
Andrew "Andy" Wheating is an American middle-distance track athlete
. Wheating competed for the United States
in the men's 800 m
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
in Beijing
, China
. He is a professional runner for Nike
.
, was a field hockey
player.
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 meters. He led the nation with a 14:55.28 indoor 5000 meter time. His coach was Jeff Johnson. Wheating became one of the four incoming freshman at the University of Oregon that ranked top ten nationally in the 1500 m.
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.
and earning a spot on the US Olympic Team. In Beijing, he finished fourth in his qualifying heat and failed to advance to the semifinals.
Middle distance track event
Middle distance running events are track races longer than sprints, up to 3000 metres. The standard middle distances are the 800 metres, 1500 metres and mile run, although the 3000 metres may also be classified as a middle distance event. The 880 yard run, or half mile, was the forebear to the...
. Wheating competed for the United States
United States at the 2008 Summer Olympics
The United States competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. American athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games since the 1896 Summer Olympics except the 1980 Summer Olympics, which the U.S. boycotted. The United States entered the Games as the most successful nation in...
in the men's 800 m
Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics - Men's 800 metres
-Results:All times shown are in seconds. The following abbreviations are used:* Q denotes qualification by place* q denotes qualification by time* DNS denotes did not start* DNF denotes did not finish* DQ denotes disqualification...
at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. He is a professional runner for Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
.
Personal
Wheating was born in 1987, the son of Justin and Betsy Wheating. His father, born in South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, was a field hockey
Field hockey
Field Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
player.
High school
Wheating ran two seasons of cross countryCross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
and one season of track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
during his stay at Kimball Union Academy
Kimball Union Academy
Kimball Union Academy is a private boarding school located in New Hampshire. Founded in 1813, it is the 22nd oldest boarding school in the United States...
. 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 meters. He led the nation with a 14:55.28 indoor 5000 meter time. His coach was Jeff Johnson. Wheating became one of the four incoming freshman at the University of Oregon that ranked top ten nationally in the 1500 m.
College career
Wheating attended the University of OregonUniversity of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
in Eugene; his major was sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
. 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
1500 metres
The 1,500-metre run is the premier middle distance track event.Aerobic endurance is the biggest factor contributing to success in the 1500 metres but the athlete also requires significant sprint speed.In modern times, the 1,500-metre run has been run at a pace faster than the average person could...
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
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
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
Joaquim Cruz
Joaquim Carvalho Cruz is a former Brazilian athlete, winner of the 800 m at the 1984 Summer Olympics. He is one of only four men to run the 800 m in less than 1:42....
in 1984.
2008 Olympic Trials & Games
At the 2008 Olympic Trials, Wheating ran a personal best time of 1:45.03, finishing in second place behind Nick SymmondsNick Symmonds
Nicholas "Nick" Symmonds is an American middle-distance track athlete from Boise, Idaho, specializing in the 800 meters and 1500 meters distances. He is also the part owner of a tanning salon. In college at Willamette University he won seven NCAA Division III titles in outdoor track. In 2007, he...
and earning a spot on the US Olympic Team. In Beijing, he finished fourth in his qualifying heat and failed to advance to the semifinals.
Professional
On July 16, 2010, Wheating improved on his personal best in the 800 m with a time of 1:44.62. Six days later, on July 22, Wheating improved on his personal best in the 1500 m with a time of 3:30.90. That was nearly seven seconds better than his previous best and the fourth-best mark in U.S. history.Personal Bests
| Event | Time | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 800 m (outdoor) | 1:44.56 | London | August 13, 2010 |
| 1500 m (outdoor) | 3:30.90 | Fontvieille Fontvieille, Monaco Fontvieille is the newest of the four traditional quarters in the principality of Monaco, and one of ten Wards for modern administrative purposes. It is located in the western part of Monaco... |
July 22, 2010 |
| 800 m (indoor) | 1:48.40 | Fayetteville Fayetteville, Arkansas Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks... |
March 13, 2010 |
| Mile run (outdoor) | 3:51.74 | Eugene Eugene, Oregon Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S... |
March 13, 2010 |
| Mile run (indoor) | 3:58.20 | Seattle Seattle, Washington Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country... |
February 27, 2010 |