Unburdened off the track, Boris Berian's confidence builds on the track

EUGENE, Ore. — Boris Berian was in Los Angeles in late May to attend the Hoka One One Middle Distance Classic, and not to race but to cheer on his teammates from the Big Bear Track Club. But he was there, and that was enough: Nike took the opportunity to serve Berian a suit alleging a breach of contract, leading the 23-year-old American to take to Twitter for guidance.

“Today, I got served at the Hoka Classic,” he tweeted out to his followers. “What shall I do?”

For the following month, the bitter back-and-forth between the behemoth-like equipment company and a little-known 800-meter specialist stood as the dominant off-track story line in the sport. It also stood as perhaps the most illuminating — providing insight into the very nature of a track and field endorsement contract, a topic central to the sport yet rarely discussed in the public sphere.

Berian signed with Nike in June 2015, agreeing to a six-month contract that elapsed Dec. 31 but included the company’s right to match any other offers after its conclusion. As of early January, he had agreed to a contract with New Balance, and wore the company’s gear at meets; Nike felt it had matched the New Balance offer, leading to the suit.

“Nike values its relationships with athletes, and we expect them to honor their contractual commitments,” a Nike statement said in May. “Where necessary we’ll take steps to protect our rights.”

The case placed Berian in the national spotlight, though for reasons unrelated to his development into an Olympic favorite. Then, in late June, Nike dropped its suit “in the interests of the athlete,” citing the impact the controversy could have on Berian’s performance at this week’s U.S. Olympic trials.

More realistically, Nike’s decision to drop the suit was made for a different reason altogether: The company quickly fell on the wrong side of the argument among athletes and fans, turning Berian into a perceived victim of corporate greed.

“It's a big weight off my shoulders,” Berian said of the suit. “I didn't know how much it was really bothering me until they dropped it."

On Friday, Berian cruised to a qualifying-best time of 1:46.03 in the 800. He followed that with a 1:45.72 in Saturday’s semifinals, breezing into the final and bolstering his status as a medal contender in the Rio Games.

But that was the case long before the trials: Nike’s suit and its resulting controversy merely overshadowed Berian’s recent star turn, which began with a second-place finish in the 800 at the 2015 Adidas Grand Prix and continued with a gold-medal performance at the IAAF Indoor Championships in March.

The indoor title was a unique turning point. Berian ran the race “like a crazy psycho,” he said, bolstering faith in his conditioning and stamina.

“Everyone thought I was going to die,” Berian said. “I thought I was going to die. But I was able to hold on. I’ve always done it like this.”

Now, Berian’s confidence is palpable — and it’s infectious, as seen in his family’s decision to book tickets to Rio in advance of the Olympic trials.

“Last year I didn’t make it past this round,” he said. “It was probably just inexperience and a long season. So getting farther than I got last year is a relief. There’s still one race, there’s still a lot of things that can happen. I’m trying to get into that top three. Then I’ll celebrate.”

His ascension is made all the more noteworthy by occurring simultaneously with the off-track controversy. In recent months, Berian’s regimen has included the normal routine — such as strength training — and an emphasis on a positive attitude. “I do a good job blocking things out,” he said.

He even found a takeaway from the bitter dispute. You’ll have good days and bad days when racing, Berian realized; the same lesson stands true off the track.

“You can’t really expect a race to go exactly how you want it to go every time,” he said. “Running is a weird sport. You can have a great day and then you can have a bad day. So I always keep that in mind and just give it everything I’ve got each race.

“Really, you’ve just got to deal with it. If you have a bad race, you can’t let that effect anything that’s going on ahead of you.”

The battle with Nike has even made Berian an icon of sorts in the debate over the International Olympic Committee’s Rule 40, which prevents athletes, coaches and trainers from using their name or likeness “for advertising purposes during the Olympic Games,” according to the Olympic charter.

While he doesn’t participate in the movement, Berian acknowledges a growing awareness about the reality of participating professionally in track and field, and how his quarrel with Nike stands as crucial evidence in the Rule 40 crusade.

“It’s getting people aware of what’s going on in track,” he said. “It’s definitely growing. Not too many people know about running professionally.”

Yet he prefers to emphasize his own individual performance, creating a contradiction of sorts: Even as his case brought Berian into the public eye, his focus remains on, not off, the track.

“I just keep it to myself a lot of the time,” he said. “I guess I just let my running do the talking.”