Ecstasy and agony for spent runner> Olympic goal eludes Nedeau yet again

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BRUNSWICK – Erik Nedeau was “ecstatic.”

The former Kennebunk High and Northeastern University star had just run his heart out (again) at Saturday’s Maine Distance Festival at Bowdoin College’s Whittier Field.

He had fought his way out of a boxed position in the 1,500 meters and rallied down the home stretch, bringing the Maine fans to their feet as he nearly nipped Alexis Sharangabo of Breva of Reebok Enclave for the victory.

As he doubled over, clasped his knees and fought for breath, it was announced that Nedeau had achieved what he has been aiming for all year: the Olympic trials qualifying standard of 3 minutes, 40.50 seconds.

“There’s nothing worse than having to have your season hinge upon a time,” Nedeau said.

Indeed.

Just minutes later, the official word came through. The electronic timer had Nedeau at 3:40.56 – six one-hundreths of a second too slow for the right to step on the track for the trials in Sacramento, Calif.

“It’s amazing what six one-hundreths of a second does to a mood. Two minutes ago I was on top of the world,” Nedeau said.

Nedeau shook his head and grimaced slightly, crouching on the shadowy infield as competitors in the women’s 10,000 meters circled the track. Many of the fans had left after Nedeau’s race, certain that their home state favorite had achieved his goal and would be travelling west for one more shot at the Olympics.

In 1996, Nedeau placed fourth in the 1,500 at the trials – one spot removed from making the Olympic team.

The trials begin July 14 and Nedeau will race Friday at McGill University in Montreal in his last chance to dip under the standard.

Before the bad news came, Nedeau – and the crowd – revelled in the kind of gritty performance that has come to be expected from him.

Fans clapped him on the back. Someone handed him a small American flag. The members of his track team at the University of Massachusetts, where he is head coach, presented him with a black shirt that read “Ned 3:16.”

Ned 3:16 mimicks the slogan popularized by wrestler Steve Austin, whose fans sport merchandise that reads “Austin 3:16.”

Back in 1997, Nedeau won the mile at this meet, charging down the straightaway wearing the same look of dogged determination that he wore Saturday when he lunged across the line.

There was no doubt then, and there was no doubt Saturday, that Nedeau had expended his every ounce of energy in the race.

And there’s no doubt that when he toes the line on Friday, he will do the same.

Yarmouth’s Matt Lane, another Olympic hopeful, said he got everything he wanted out of his race after placing second in the 3,000 meters.

Lane has already achieved the Olympic “A” standard at 5K and will be competing in that event at the trials.

Lane led the race after the pacesetter withdrew after 600 meters. But at 1,200 meters, six runners glided by him and it seemed the former Yarmouth High standout might fade.

“Once they started coming by me I was on the inside so I just tried to remain calm,” Lane said.

Lane moved into fifth at the gun lap and surged, passing everyone but Brian Baker. Lane’s time of 7:53.41 was a personal best at the distance and a school record for the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., where he will begin his fifth year in the fall.

“I’ll see a lot of the same guys at the trials, and it’s good to get some [speed] work in at faster than 5K pace. I’m pleased with the guys I beat,” he said.

The top six finishers in Lane’s race will compete in the 5K at the trials.

Former Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln star Sam Wilbur was entered in the steeplechase, but he did not compete. Wilbur has the trials standard in that event.

Former Old Town High and University of Maine standout Derek Treadwell, Nedeau’s training partner in Amherst, did not compete due to plantar fasciitis. Treadwell was a finalist in the 1996 trials at 1,500 meters.

Treadwell, who attended the meet, said the injury had been nagging him for awhile, but his foot “snapped” two weeks ago during a speed session on the track.

Ellsworth High junior-to-be Steven DeWitt cruised to victory in the boys’ mile, timing 4:18.05. He surged during the third lap and finished comfortably ahead of David Mullert of Massachusetts (4:21.97).

DeWitt was the Class B state champion at 800, 1600 and 3200 meters. He has also been the starting point guard for the Eagles basketball team since his freshman year.

“The last few weeks I’ve been playing a lot of basketball, so I was worried that I might have been overtrained,” DeWitt said.

Waterville’s Kyle Masse won the boys 800 meters and set a personal best of 1:56.56 in the process. Masse, who will be a senior next year, said the victory made up for not winning the Class A state title.