SALEM, ORE. -- A viewing party for the Willamette University community to watch Nick Symmonds ('06) compete LIVE in the finals of the 800-meter run at the London Olympics will be held on Thursday, Aug. 9 in Ford Hall Room 122. The room will be opened at 11:45 a.m. (Pacific Time), with the race scheduled to begin at 12 p.m.

Willamette faculty, staff and students are invited to attend, along with others in the area who would like to watch Symmonds compete. Although the viewing party is being held near the noon hour, food and beverages will not be provided and are not allowed in Room 122.

Plans are to watch the LIVE main feed from the London Olympics on the screen in the theater-style room through an Internet connection. Symmonds and seven other runners -- including World Record holder David Rudisha of Kenya and U.S.A. teammate Duane Solomon -- are set to run for the gold, silver and bronze medals.

Symmonds is competing in his second Olympics. In 2008, he advanced to the semifinals of the Beijing Olympics. He also has participated in three IAAF World Championships, reaching the semifinals in 2007, placing sixth in 2009 and finishing fifth in 2011.