Oregon's Simeon Birnbaum sets meet record at Hayward Field

The distance was different for Simeon Birnbaum, but the result was the same. It was another record-setting night at Hayward Field for the Oregon track and field star as Birnbaum put on another superlative performance in front of the home crowd during the Oregon Twilight meet. Birnbaum won the men's 800 meters in 1 minute, 44.

67 seconds to set a meet record and personal record. He also became the third-fastest performer in program history at that distance. The victory came three weeks after Birnbaum set the collegiate record in the 1,500 during the Oregon Team Invitational, and a week before an expected 1,500-5,000 double at the Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

"He's a really talented kid," Oregon coach Jerry Schumacher said. "It's fun to see someone like that out here at Hayward Field ripping up the track and doing the things that he's doing. " Birnbaum said he typically does speed sessions on Fridays, so dropping down to the 800 allowed him to stay in his routine while also getting the perk of being in a competition.

"We went back and forth between am I working out or racing? " he said. "But my heart's in racing.