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Lovin’ it: from the Golden Arches to a gold medal

Flipping burgers to dreams of Rio success shows how far 800m runner Berian has come

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In less than two years, Boris Berian has gone from being a broke college dropout working in McDonald’s to one of the brightest US middle-distance runners in a generation.

The 23-year-old will head to Rio de Janeiro with dreams of becoming the first American to win a medal in the 800 metres since Johnny Gray in 1992, just a few months before Berian was born.

If recent history is anything to go by, few would bet against the maverick world indoor champion from muscling his way onto the medal podium.

Whether it’s taking on sporting goods behemoth Nike in a legal fight and winning, or resurrecti­ng a running career that had once seemed in peril, Berian has made a habit of overcoming the odds.

In early 2014, his career appeared to have stalled. Falling grades saw him drop out of college in Colorado, and he ended up flipping burgers in a McDonald’s while sleeping on a friend’s couch.

Although he continued to train independen­tly, clinging to his dream of a track career, it was not until the end of that year that his break arrived when he was approached by coach Carlos Handler.

Handler, the husband and trainer of 2013 world 800m bronze medallist Brenda Martinez, invited Berian to train at the Big Bear Track Club in the San Bernardino Mountains outside Los Angeles.

Within a few months, Berian had sliced more than three seconds off his personal best of 1 minute 48.93 seconds.

But it was at the New York Diamond League Meeting in June 2015 that Berian made the rest of the world take notice, when he bravely chased down 2012 Olympic champion David Rudisha before finishing a close second in a new personal best of 1:43.69.

Selfie snub

Still somewhat star-struck, Berian asked to pose for a photograph with Rudisha after the race. The Kenyan refused and then reluctantl­y agreed after a further request from Handler.

Rudisha’s snub had already rankled Berian, however, who told Handler to delete the photo before adding: “I’m never going to let that guy beat me again.”

Berian’s form had begun to attract attention from sponsors, and Nike signed him to a deal which expired at the end of 2015. It was Berian’s decision to switch to New Balance in early 2016 that led to the legal dispute that threatened his season.

By this time, Berian had captured the World Indoor title in Portland in March, leading from start to finish in a superb display of front-running that has become his trademark.

Berian jokingly described that performanc­e as “psycho, crazy”.

“Everyone thought I was going to die; I thought I was going to die,” he told reporters at the US Olympic track and field trials in Oregon in July.

Those championsh­ips in Eugene were the first since the end of his legal dispute with Nike.

Berian, who was served with legal papers by Nike’s attorneys while racing in Los Angeles in May, said he was relieved to have finally put the saga behind him.

“I didn’t realise how much it was bothering me until it was settled,” Berian said.

“I was definitely annoyed, every single day, but I just kept running.”

Nike had successful­ly obtained a temporary restrainin­g order preventing Berian from racing in non-Nike gear before ending its legal action in June, with the court of public opinion firmly on the athlete’s side.

Berian is now looking ahead to Rio — and a rematch with Rudisha.

It was at the New York Diamond League Meeting in June 2015 that Berian made the rest of the world take notice, when he chased down David Rudisha before finishing a close second in a new personal best of 1:43.69

 ?? Getty Images ?? Boris Berian, right, has battled hard to succeed in his sport, overcoming many obstacles in his path. And the 800m runner is determined to keep improving, starting with Rio.
Getty Images Boris Berian, right, has battled hard to succeed in his sport, overcoming many obstacles in his path. And the 800m runner is determined to keep improving, starting with Rio.

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