Billy Nelson (athlete)

Last updated

Billy Nelson
Personal information
Full nameWilliam Andrew Nelson
NicknameBilly
NationalityFlag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Born (1984-09-11) September 11, 1984 (age 39)
Bakersfield, California [1]
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight55 kg (121 lb)
Sport
CountryUSA
Sport Track and field
Event 3000 metres steeplechase
College team Colorado
Coached byMark Wetmore [1] & Heather Burroughs
Achievements and titles
Olympic finals 2008, steeplechase
World finals2011, steeplechase
National finals2008 Olympic Trials Runner Up 2011 USA Champion
Personal best1500 m: 3:41.57 (2012) 3000 m steeplechase: 8:17.27 (2011)

William Andrew Nelson (born September 11, 1984, in Bakersfield, California, attended Taft Union High School) is an American steeplechase runner. [2] He is a two-time (2007 and 2008) Big 12 Conference steeplechase titleholder, a six-time NCAA All-American, and a runner-up at the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Championships. [1] He also posted a personal best time of 8:17.27 by finishing eleventh at the 2011 Diamond League Meet in Monaco. [3] In the same year, Nelson claimed his first ever career title at the U.S. Outdoor Track & Field Championships, with a time of 8:28.46. [4] [5]

Nelson earned a spot on the U.S. team for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, by placing second at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, with a time of 8:21.47. [6] He competed as a member of the U.S. track and field team in the men's 3000 m steeplechase, along with his teammates Anthony Famiglietti and Joshua McAdams. Nelson ran in the second heat against thirteen other athletes, including Famiglietti, and France's Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad, who later won the silver medal in the final. He finished the race in eleventh place by six tenths of a second (0.60) behind Great Britain's Andrew Lemoncello, with a time of 8:36.66. Nelson, however, failed to advance into the final, as he placed thirtieth overall, and was ranked farther below four mandatory slots for the next round. [7]

Nelson earned a spot on the U.S. team for the 2011 World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, by winning the steeplechase event at the U.S. Track & Field Championships.

Nelson also sought to qualify for his second Olympics in London; however, he finished only in eighth place at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials, with a time of 8:32.21. [8]

In 2014, Nelson decided to take his participation in Track & Field to the next level, by running for the freedom of Leonard Peltier. He ran in a "Free Leonard Peltier" jersey in four races, including the Payton Jordan Invitational, where he won the steeplechase in a time of 8:28.40. He also wore the jersey at the USA Championships in Sacramento, CA, where he placed 12th overall. [9]

Nelson currently resides in Boulder, Colorado, with his wife Alisa, and four children: Arabella Kennedy, Noah Andrew, Lonnie Jack and Wyatt Watkins. He works as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Cross Country/Track & Field programs at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Culpepper</span> American long-distance runner

Alan Lawrence Culpepper is an American distance runner and two time United States Olympian. Along with competing on four World Championship teams, his accomplishments include finishing fourth in the Boston Marathon in 2005, winning the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon and finishing 12th at the 2004 Olympic marathon in Athens. His 2:09:41 at the 2002 Chicago Marathon tied him with Alberto Salazar for the fastest ever debut marathon by an American, and remains his fastest marathon. Culpepper has won three U.S. Cross Country titles and three track titles. His personal bests include 3:55.1 for the mile, 13:25 for 5k and 27:33 in the 10k.

Anthony Famiglietti(nickname: Fam; born November 8, 1978, in Medford, New York) is an American track and field athlete who competes professionally for Skechers Performance and Reckless Running. He was formerly sponsored by Adidas. He has competed for the U.S. in the 3000 meter steeplechase at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. In December 2019 he ran a World Record treadmill mile of 3:55. He has the first known recorded sub-4 mile ever run on a treadmill. In January 2020 he followed up his mile with a World Record 2 mile run of 8:24 at the Endurance Exchange hosted by USA Triathlon. He is current training to make his 5th Olympic trials and 3rd Olympic team. In spring 2020 he is hoping to become the fourth human being ever to break 4-minute mile on the track at 40 years old.

Joshua McAdams is an American track and field athlete who competes in the 3,000 meter steeplechase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delilah DiCrescenzo</span> American runner

Delilah DiCrescenzo is an American distance runner. She competes in the women's 3000 metres steeplechase. She is a 2001 graduate of Queen of Peace High School in Burbank, Illinois and a 2005 graduate of Columbia University, where she majored in sociology. In May 2011, DiCrescenzo received her master's degree in Sports Management, also from Columbia University. She now competes for the New York Athletic Club and trains with the NJ-NY Track Club under the guidance of Coach Frank Gagliano. As of 2013 she was sponsored by Puma and continued to compete on a worldwide level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenny Simpson</span> American runner (born 1986)

Jennifer Simpson is an American middle- and long-distance runner, formerly a steeplechaser. She won the gold medal in the 1500 meters at the 2011 World Championships, silvers at the 2013 and 2017 World Championships, and a bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics, becoming the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in the event.

Chris Derrick is an American distance runner who won 3 consecutive US Cross Country Championships in 2013–15. He attended Stanford University, where he earned 14 All-American honors and holds an American junior record in the 5000 meters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evan Jager</span> American steeplechaser

Evan Reese Jager is an American middle- and long-distance runner who specializes in the 3000 metres steeplechase. In his speciality event, he won a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and a bronze at the 2017 World Championships. Jager is the current NACAC area record holder in the event with a time of 8:00.45. He is sponsored by Nike and is coached by Jerry Schumacher in the Bowerman Track Club.

Kibwé Johnson is an American Olympic track and field athlete who specializes in the hammer throw. He has represented his country at the World Championships in Athletics three times. Competed in the 2012 London Olympics where he made the final and finished 9th. No American had made the final since 1996. Johnson competed in 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emma Coburn</span> American middle-distance runner

Emma Jane Coburn is an American middle-distance runner who specializes in the 3000-meters steeplechase. She holds the distinction of being a world champion, world silver medalist, Olympic bronze medalist, three-time Olympian and 10-time US National Champion in the steeplechase.

Kyle Scott Alcorn is an American track and field athlete. As a long distance runner, Alcorn experienced most of his professional success in the steeplechase, an event in which he represented the United States at the 2012 Olympics in London, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donn Cabral</span> American steeplechase runner (born 1989)

Donald Cabral is an American cross country and track runner from Connecticut who went on to star at Princeton University. He has been most successful in the steeplechase, but has also been a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) All-American in cross country and the 5000 meters, as well as the Ivy League champion at the 3000 meters. He is a former American collegiate steeplechase record holder and was the 2012 NCAA steeplechase champion. He competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2016 Summer Olympics in the steeplechase. At Princeton, Cabral was an eight-time NCAA All-American and ten-time individual Ivy League champion. He was a long distance running champion in high school for Glastonbury High School, winning two Class LL championships as a sophomore and then open state and New England championships as a junior and senior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bridget Franek</span> American middle-distance runner

Bridget Franek is an American middle distance runner who was in the U.S. Olympic team for the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 3000 meter steeplechase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shalaya Kipp</span> American middle-distance runner

Shalaya Kipp is an American middle-distance runner who competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the 3000 meter steeplechase.

Nicole Bush is an American long-distance runner who competes in the steeplechase. Her personal record for the event is 9:24.59 minutes. She was the 2013 American champion in the steeplechase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashley Higginson</span>

Ashley Higginson is an American middle-distance runner who has made the U.S. team for the 2013 World Championships in Athletics in the 3000 meter steeplechase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laura Thweatt</span> American long-distance runner

Laura Thweatt is an American long-distance runner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Huling</span> American steeplechase runner

Daniel "Dan" Huling is an American distance runner who specializes in the 3000-meter steeplechase. He holds a personal record of 8:13.29 minutes for the event, set in 2010. He has represented the United States at the World Championships in Athletics four times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Courtney Frerichs</span> American middle-distance runner, steeplechase specialist (born 1993)

Courtney Frerichs is an American middle-distance runner and steeplechase specialist from Nixa, Missouri, She is a three-time silver medalist in the 3000 meters steeplechase capturing silver at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, the 2017 World Championships in London and at the 2018 World (Continental) Cup in Ostrava. In 2021, she became the first American woman to run under nine-minutes in a women’s 3000-meters steeplechase event with a time of 8:57.77; establishing an American and Area record. She is a two-time Olympian making the US team in 2016 and 2020. In both of her Olympic Trials she finished second to US National Champion, Emma Coburn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hillary Bor</span> American track and field athlete

Hillary Bor is a Kenyan-born American track and field athlete. He qualified for the 2016 Olympics by finishing in second place in the 3000 meters steeplechase at the 2016 United States Olympic Trials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benard Keter</span> American athlete

Benard Kiplangat Keter is an American athlete who competes primarily in the 3000 metres steeplechase.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "USATF – Billy Nelson". USA Track & Field . Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  2. ↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Billy Nelson". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Centrowitz resets Oregon 1,500 record on European tour". Register Guard Online. July 23, 2011. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Billy Nelson Wins USATF Steeplechase Title". Boulder Running. June 25, 2011. Archived from the original on April 3, 2013. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  5. ↑ Evans, Jeff (June 24, 2012). "Chase is on again for Billy Nelson". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  6. ↑ Dunaway, James (July 6, 2008). "Gay cramps up and will miss Beijing 200m - US Olympic Trials, Day 7". IAAF . Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Men's 3000m Steeplechase Round 1 – Heat 2". NBC Olympics. Archived from the original on August 21, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  8. ↑ Ewing, Zach (June 28, 2012). "Nelson finishes 8th, misses out on Olympics". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Mike Sandrock: Billy Nelson racing to back Leonard Peltier". June 16, 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.