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Foot Locker Outdoor
June 16-17, 2000 at Raleigh NC
DYESTAT PHOTO ESSAY
the Texas Whirlwind
Jonathan Johnson
When Jonathan Johnson cranks it up in the home stretch, he is like a whirlwind sweeping across the prairie back home in Abilene TX. In the Texas State 5A 800 meters May 27, the Abilene junior came from just a tad too far back, losing to Adam Davis' 1:50.10 by 0.32 second.
"I learned then to run the third 200 faster," Johnson said. He put the lesson to good use in the Golden West Invitational June 10, beating a strong field in 1:49.60, second best in the US this year coming in to Raleigh.
At Raleigh, Johnson would step up in class to a true national championship final: US#1 Marc Sylvester OH, defending FLO and Nike Indoor champion James Doaty KY, and Texas rival Adam Davis, who lost a stretch duel to Doaty here in 1999.
The result was the same as the Golden West, although a bit more crowded. The Raleigh newspaper likened it to a NASCAR finish, with all the drafters pulling out in the stretch for an all-out dash to the finish. Johnson had to go five wide to get clear and just got the advantage in the closing inches in 1:49.61, with only 0.08 second covering the top 3 (Davis and Sylvester). Doaty never got clear and settled for fourth in 1:50.20.
At mid-point, Sylvester (L) and Said Ahmed MA are ahead
Five-wide, top of the stretch starting a NASCAR-type
finish: L to R, Johnson (light top, dark pants), Davis (red trunks), Doaty
(boxed in the middle), Sylvester (dark blue), Dunning (bright blue).
Three sub-1:50s lunge for the tape, with Johnson on left
(white and yellow singlet) the winner
1999 winner Doaty leads the next group (3rd thru 6th)
the 2000 Foot Locker Outdoor Track and Field Championships
