[ Interview Quotes ] [ Photo Sequence ]

1999 Foot Locker Finals

Quotes from Post-Race Interviews

1. Dathan Ritzenhein

"The crucial thing for me was to be able to stay with the lead pack.  I felt really crappy in the second mile, but I went for the lead with about 800 meters to go, which was exactly what I had planned.  It took 2-3 seconds to get around Dobson.  I wasn't sure I could hold a kick that far from the finish.  I didn't know I won until I crossed the finish line because I didn't know how close the others were."

"Being in the finals last year taught me not to panic."

How do you feel now (Ritzenhein had fallen prone on the grass after winning)?  A: "I feel like a million dollars."

"It's a total honor.  There are so many good kids."

2. Donald Sage

"I was just hanging on until the last 400 meters.  Then the adrenalin took over, and I kicked as hard as I could." (getting 2nd place by catching Ian Dobson at the wire by 0.4 seconds) "I knew it was my last high school race."

"Ritzenhein is a great runner.  When he went by me, I thought, 'all right, go Midwest.' "

3. Ian Dobson

"I hadn't planned to take the lead, but no one else was going out so I took it.  I don't think it hurt me.  I felt real comfortable."

"When Ritzenhein came up to me, I made an effort to go with him.  I was running all out, but he just pulled away."