By Jack Butler
The 1,500-meter race during Friday’s Oregon Twilight meet developed in a way Oregon redshirt freshman Mick Stanovsek was built for.
Caught in the middle of the pack with 200 meters to go, Stanovsek knew he needed a strong kick—an extra injection of grit—to win the race. In the final 180 meters, he pushed harder, passing professional runners on the home stretch. He finished second with a time of 3 minutes, 45.01 seconds, just 0.08 behind the winner, David Ribich of Western Oregon, who finished in 3:45:01.
Stanovsek, an Ohio native, is a walk-on with the Oregon track and field program. He ran 4;10 for the 1,500 meters in high school, which isn’t the Oregon standard. It’s a good time, but he didn’t get an invitation to run for Oregon out of high school.
So to make the one of the most prestigious track and field teams in the country, Stanovsek needed to push harder last year to separate himself from the pack and catch the top runners.
“It was the hardest year of my life,” he said.
During this time, he worked out on his own, sometimes sneaking on to Hayward Field at night to work out. He was in constant contact with Oregon coach Andy Powell, who gave him suggestions on how to work out.
Finally, he got his 1,500-meter time under four minutes, and Powell offered him a chance on the team.
“I just started balling,” Stanovsek said. “It’s really the only thing I ever wanted in my life.”
So, as Stanovsek found himself in the middle of the pack in the Twilight’s race, he could draw on the toughness he used over the past year.
The race started fast, but slowed through the second and third laps. Ribich knew that Stanvosek would finish with a strong kick.
“I was actually worried about Mick out of anyone else in the field,” Ribich said. “When I looked up at the board and saw me and a green jersey flying up I was like, ‘It’s Mick. He’s coming.’”
The two runners had met earlier this season. Stanovsek finished ahead of Ribich at the Stanford Invitational when he jumped past him with 200 meters to go.
Ribich was able to hold off the surging Stanovsek this time.
“I guess we’re one and one,” Ribich said.
Stanovsek will continue his dream season by running in the upcoming Pac-12 Championships.
“This past year hasn’t sunken in at all,” Stanovsek said. “I get antsy just seeing Andrew Wheating around.”
