World Indoor 800m: Erica Moore Gets Bronze as Pamela Jelimo Is Back, Mohammed Aman Leaves With Gold
By LetsRun.com
March 11, 2012
Recaps of the 800m at the 2012 World Indoor Track and Field Championships below. The final day of action also saw Bernard Lagat storm to gold at 3000m, the arrival of Hellen Obiri as she in her 4th 3000m ever defeated 4 time World 3000m champ Meseret Defar, plus a tremendous long jump won by Brittney Reese, Liu Xiang getting upset and more.
Women's 800m:
The USA's Erica Moore, a neophyte in the 800m (she's a former heptathlete and 400m hurdler), picked the perfect time to get her first sub 2 minute clocking in the 800m and it got her the bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships, as 2008 Olympic Champion Pamela Jelimo continued her comeback with the gold.
Moore Takes it Out Fast
Moore likes to front run and she took this one out very fast. 28.13 at 200m and 57.69 at 400. She was followed by Elena Kofanova of Russia, Fantu Magiso of Ethiopia, and Jelimo. Just before 600m Kofanova took the lead. Around the bend after the bell, Kofanova got in front of Moore and Jelimo moved up into second on the outside. On the backstretch Jelimo beat Kofanova to the pole and would sprint to an impressive 1:58.83 victory. Nataliia Lupu who had been 5th with 105 meters of running left was making a big charge. She
would pass everyone but Jelimo to get silver. That left the bronze medal. Moore pulled up even with Kofanova as they hit the final straight. There was some contact but it did not affect the outcome. Kofanova was fading and Moore had just enough left to get the bronze. She even dove across the line to make sure she got the medal ahead of Ethiopia's Fantu Magiso on the inside. The dive wasn't necessary for the medal but maybe it helped her sneak under 2:00 for the first time indoors or out (1:59.97).
Erica Moore talked to USATF about her medal saying, "It was terrifying. I knew they would be coming. The problem is that I feel comfortable at that fast pace. It might not have been the best move, but I wouldn't change it now. I didn't think I had a chance to medal. I thought I could get out of the prelims. This was 100 times harder than the prelims. It tells me that I can run two-minutes comfortably."
QT: Erica Moore bronze medallist. Well done. Now that she has a bronze medal, we'll have to stop talking about the upside of this former Indiana State heptathlete and 400m hurdler who is new to the 800m and didn't pick it up full-time until 2010.
If you're worried about Moore burning out by outdoor season realize she is coached by JJ Clark, the great half mile and University of Tennessee coach. She's in great hands.
Pamela Jelimo deserves some credit too. Granted she ran 1:54 in 2008 and got the Olympic gold. However, she hadn't been under 1:59 since 2008 until this race. Last year her best 800m was 2:09. Despite multiple ailments and injuries, she's now officially back. She said, "These last three years, with my injury, were a disaster for me. Injuries have a great impact on top athletes. For my country and my management and me - it was bad for all of us. But I did not give up and my coach motivated me a lot. It feels great to be a world champion, it is great to be at the top again. I did not imagine winning this title. I have been trying to be in shape."
Women's 800m Final
(UK Visitors Click here)
This is the second straight World Indoors that the US women got a bronze. Alysia Montano got the bronze in 2010 and she ended up with the world leader outdoors that year so that is encouraging for Moore.
| 1 | 4 | 658 | Pamela Jelimo |  KEN |
1:58.83 | (WL) |
| 2 | 1 | 779 | Nataliia Lupu |  UKR |
1:59.67 | (PB) |
| 3 | 5 | 815 | Erica Moore |  USA |
1:59.97 | (PB) |
| 4 | 2 | 587 | Fantu Magiso |  ETH |
2:00.30 | (PB) |
| 5 | 3 | 733 | Elena Kofanova |  RUS |
2:00.67 | . |
| 6 | 6 | 736 | Yuliya Rusanova | RUS |
2:01.87 |
Men's 800m: 18* Year Old Mohammed Aman Gets Gold
18 year old* Mohammed Aman came into the World Championships with an impressive resume, being the only man to beat David Rudisha in the 800 since 2009. Aman leaves the World Championships with his first of what could be many gold medals.
Crazy Slow Second 100m
This was a strange race. After an opening 100 of 13.2 the race came to a screeching halt as no one wanted the lead. Jakub Holusa of the Czech Republic was in front but he didn't want to lead so he just hit the brakes until finally world leader Adam Kszczot of Poland came by right before the 200 which was in 29.29.
With Kszczot in front everyone started running again (27.00 2nd 200m and each 200m would just get faster until the finish). He was followed by Aman and they would stay that way until the final 100m. At the bell it was Kszczot followed by Aman followed by Holusa with Andrew Osagie moving up from fifth to be even with Michael Rutt of the US.
Aman made his move on the backstretch and Kszczot accelerated trying to keep lane 1 into the final turn. Aman got in front and would accelerate around the bend and down the homestretch for the win. Kszczot was running out of steam on the final straight and Holusa went by him for silver. Osagie was making a late challenge and he got in front of Kszczot for bronze.
Quick Thoughts: A negative split 800 with each 200 faster than the one before it. Very strange indeed.
This race means very little with the big guns Rudisha and Kaki sitting out, but it does show Aman can win a tactical race.
Kszczot is a huge talent. Only 22 he ran 1:44.57 earlier this year indoors and we pondered if Nick Symmonds' medal chances were declining. Since then Kszczot got 5th in Stockholm and 4th here. Did he burn it too hot too early? Maybe but he has time for a whole different build up and doesn't have to worry about making the Polish team.
Making the final was a big deal for Michael Rutt. He said to USATF, "It was a quick first 100m, but slowed down after that. I wasn't ready to go with that surge. I have had three races in three days and that was tough. But being sixth in the world I can't be disappointed with that. It was a learning experience for me. I need to be able to turn it one like that when I need to. It was just a lack of experience. Who knows what will happen outdoors. The U.S. is deep in the 800m. This definitely helped my confidence."
Men's 800m Final
(UK Visitors Click here)
*Age cheating is so rampant sadly we have to take the ages of a lot of stars with a grain of salt. Aman could be 18 but the age cheating of others makes all athletes come under suspicion. Kind of like doping.
200m 29.29
400m 56.29 (27.00)
600m 1:22.56 (26.27)
800m 1:48.36 (25.80)
| 1 | 4 | 100 | Mohammed Aman | ETH |
1:48.36 | . |
| 2 | 2 | 71 | Jakub Holusa |  CZE |
1:48.62 | . |
| 3 | 6 | 130 | Andrew Osagie |  GBR |
1:48.92 | . |
| 4 | 3 | 225 | Adam Kszczot |  POL |
1:49.16 | . |
| 5 | 1 | 25 | Jan van den Broeck |  BEL |
1:50.83 | . |
| 6 | 5 | 333 | Michael Rutt | USA |
1:51.47 |
More Worlds:
Sunday:
LRC Men's 3000m Final Lives Up to the Hype as Lagat Kicks to Gold World 5000m champion Mo Farah squared off with two-time world indoor champion Bernard Lagat and 2012 World leaders Augustine Choge and Edwin Soi of Kenya. They were all in contention on the final lap. There was some contact and two guys ran on the infield but XXXX was clearly best today. We recap and analyze the action
but
are obscuring the winner in case people want to watch the race without knowing the result.
LRC Hellen Obiri Stuns Four Time World Champ Defar Obiri Closes in 4:06.6 for Gold Get used to the name Hellen Obiri. Last year she ran internationally for the first time and won the Kenyan 1500m championships. This year in the fourth 3000m of her life she came from behind to stop Meseret Defar from getting her 5th world championship.
IAAF Final Day Recap: Brittney Reese Is Indredible, Aries Meritt upsets Liu Xiang, Will Claye Wins Brittney Reese had her back to the wall in the long jump, so what did she do? Unleash a jump that made her #3 all-time to win.
Saturday:
LRC Saturday: Iguider Wins Thrilling Men's 1,500m, Dibaba Lives Up To The Hype, Ashton Eaton, Sanya Richards Ross, Chaunte Lowe And Justin Gatlin (Uh) Get Gold World Record And $90,000 For Eaton A tremendous day of action and a good one for the USA. We break it down, including the men's 1,500m, where Abdalaati Iguider ruined the coming out party of Ilham Tanui Özbilen in an exciting race that saw Matt Centrowitz challenge for the lead. Genzebe Dibaba dominated the women's 1,500, showing she's the real deal. Plus Sanya Richards Ross, Chaunte Lowe and Justin Gatlin are all back from various ailments, some self inflicted, some not. Not to mention a super-tight long jump and a gold by a 39-year-old married to a former heroin dealer.
Friday:
IAAF: Pentathlon World Record! - Natallia Dobrynska Dobrynska Tallies 5,013 Points
|
|
|
|
|
|