Home College Track and Field Rio 2016: N.J.’s Robby Andrews uses killer kick to become an Olympian

Rio 2016: N.J.’s Robby Andrews uses killer kick to become an Olympian

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By Jim Lambert | NJ Advance Media

New Jersey’s Robby Andrews used his trademark big kick over the finals 400 meters to come from behind and finish second in the men’s 1,500 at Sunday’s U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials to make his first U.S. Olympic Team.

Sitting in 5th place at the bell, Andrews, a 2009 graduate of N.J.’s Manalapan High School, started to open his stride n the backstretch and exploded past Izaic Yorks with around 225 to go, zipped past Leo Manzano and Ben Blankenship around the final to take control of second place, and then came storming across the line in 3:34.88 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Andrews, who finished a couple strides behind World Indoor champion Matt Centrowitz (3:34.09), was 12th after 300 meters, 11th after 700, and then was fifth at 1,100 before he ripped a 54.27 final 400 to secure his trip to next month’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.