March 11, 2008

By Patrick Clark - Assistant Sports Information Director

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - (Monday, March 10, 2008) Two years ago Miles Smith was called an All-American. There is no expiration date for that title but Smith has been fighting to retain it. Two years since he finished seventh at the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. What has transpired between has been a battle for the St. Louis, Missouri native.

Injuries has taken away a year and a half of promise, numerous titles and accolades. He's left with what he feels is his time for redemption.

That time is now as he was officially named a 2008 participant in the 400 meter dash at this year's NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. The site of his last glory has not changed; this years championship will again be hosted by the University of Arkansas at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville on March 14-15, but the athlete who will compete has.

Smith is more mature, more focused. He's been that way all season and that won't change this week. All that stands in his way is 400 meters of track and 15 other worthy opponents, the best the country has to offer.

He sits fourth amongst those athletes with a career-best time of 46.13 set nearly a month ago in Ames, Iowa at the Iowa State Classic. He finished one-hundreth of a second behind at-time the nations fastest runner in Oral Robert's Andretti Bain.

Since then Smith has been cautious, his time In Iowa guaranteed him a spot in Fayetteville. He hasn't ran competively since then. He had to make the hard decision of not regaining his 2006 Ohio Valley Conference Indoor title. He had to watch his teammates run without him. He suffered again.

That time is gone. He will be running for those teammates, his coach, his school, his family and his immortality.

Georgia's Justin Gaymon sits at the top right now (45.94), followed by Florida's Calvin Smith (46.04). Both ran those times less than two weeks ago. Are they peaking at the right time? 

Bain hasn't been close to his time that he set in Iowa, he might have peaked.

Smith is rested, his legs are pain free and loose.

Who knows when they are all together on one track, each will push each other like Smith and Bain did in Iowa and Gaymon and Calvin Smith did at the SEC Indoor Championships.

Then there's the other 12 competitors, all capable of coming up big in the spotlight of the NCAAs. So many factors, so many if's.

Those aren't on Smith's mind. He has a goal, a dream to attain and retain.

Two years later the man has changed, perhaps that title of All-American should as well. He always thought that "Miles Smith - NCAA Champion" sounded better anyways. Perhaps he's right, he's had time to think about it.