A Fan's Guide To Day 2 The 2012 Samsung Diamond League London Track & Field Meet

A Fantastic Men's Mile With Kiplagat, Lagat, Willis, and Manzano Should Entertain To Say The Least

By LetsRun.com
July 12, 2012

The 8th of the 14 Samsung Diamond League track and field meets for 2012 and the next to last one before the Olympics takes place on Friday and Saturday in London. While Day 1 certainly seems to have a little more sizzle than day 2 in our minds, day 2 is certainly not bereft of some great matchups.

Day 1 Preview Here

Mid-d and distance-wise, there is a great men's mile with Silas Kiplagat, Nick Willis, Leo Manzano and Bernard Lagat, an 800 with Abubaker Khaki, Matt Centrowitz and many of Nick Symmonds' rivals for a bronze medal, and a women's 800 and women's steeple. In other actions, Phillips Idowu will clash with world champ Christian Taylor in the triple, world champ Carmelita Jeter runs in the 100, world champ Sally Pearson runs in the 100 hurdles which features the top 7 from 2012, world champ Kirani James is in the 400 and more.

This is a two-day meet. Below, we preview all of the middle distance and distance action from day two for you first (in the order that they occur) before getting to the rest of the day 2 events (in the order that they occur).

You can see the start times of the actual events below. All times have been changed to ET in case you are planning on watching or following it live.

Day 1 Preview Here

Friday's Schedule

Time (ET)

 

Event

M/F

Status

Points
12:35 pm
Pole Vault M Entry list Standings
12:40 pm
Discus M Entry list Standings
12:46 110m Hurdles M Entry list
12:56 110m Hurdles M Entry list
1:11 T53/54 100m M Entry list
1:22 400m Hurdles F Entry list
1:34
400m Hurdles M Entry list Standings
1:40
High Jump F Entry list Standings
1:44
100m Heat 1 M Entry list
1:54
100m Heat 2 M Entry list
2:00
Long Jump M Entry list Standings
2:04
200m F Entry list Standings
2:14 5000m F Entry list
2:36
1500m F Entry list Standings
2:48 110m Hurdles M Entry list
2:59
100m M Entry list Standings
3:09
5000m M Entry list Standings
3:34 T53/54 800m F Entry list
3:43 T12 100m F Entry list

Saturday's Schedule

Time (ET)

  

Discipline

M/F

Status

Points
8:00 am Triple Jump F Entry list
8:20 am High Jump M Entry list
8:41 800m On Camp With Kelly F Entry list
8:50 400m National M Entry list
8:59 T37 200m F Entry list
9:11 100m F Entry list
9:21 100m F Entry list
9:30
Shot Put M Entry list Standings
9:34 T53/54 800m M Entry list
9:44
100m Hurdles F Entry list
9:54
100m Hurdles F Entry list
10:04
800m M Entry list Standings
10:15 200m M Entry list
10:20
Javelin F Entry list Standings
10:26 400m M Entry list
10:32
Triple Jump M Entry list Standings
10:37 1 Mile M Entry list
10:49 800m F Entry list
11:00
3000m Steeplechase F Entry list Standings
11:18 100m F Entry list
11:28 4 x 100m Relay M Entry list
11:39
100m Hurdles F Entry list Standings
11:49
400m F Entry list Standings

Men's 800: Kaki Takes on Two 1:43 Guys As Centrowitz Tries To Sharpen Up

2011 World Championships silver medallist Abubaker Kaki, who has run 1:43.69 this year, will take on two other guys with 1:43 seasonal bests this year in the men's 800.

22-year-old Adam Kszczot of Poland, who was one spot behind American Nick Symmonds last year at Worlds and two spots behind him this year at Pre, is one of them, and the other is 21-year-old Job Kinyor of Kenya, who was 5th at the Kenyan Trails and 7th at Pre (Symmonds was 3rd at Pre, Kszczot 5th).

The three British Olympians who have all run 1:44 this year are all in the field, including 2012 British champ Adrew Osiage. Gareth Warburton is on the team only after having won his appeal.

2011 World Championships bronze medallist at 1,500, Matt Centrowitz of the US, is in the field and will be looking to sharpen up for the Olympics. His 800 PR is 1:47.77.

QT #1: Fans of Nick Symmonds who are hoping for the US first Olympic 800 medal since Johnny Gray got bronze in 1992 should be paying close attention to this one. After David Rudisha's expected win, there are only two medal spots left and Kaki is a strong favorite for second and Kszczot is someone who could get third. There are only nine guys eligible for the Olympics this year who have gone sub-1:44, including Symmonds, Rudisha and Kaki (that's ignoring the 3 Kenyans who have done it but aren't going), and two of them are in this field.

QT #2: In doing some research for this race, we were looking at the best marks were for 2012 and were reminded that many people likely aren't aware of the fact that 18-year-old Nijel Amos of Botswana is #2 in the world at 1:43.11. Amos was a total unknown with a 1:47.28 PR coming into the year and he's a total unknown to most people still, as his 1:43.11 came at a low-key meet in Germany on the same weekend that NCAAs and the adidas GP were held. To be truthful, we're not even sure if the performance ever made the front page of LetsRun.com.

More: MB: Nijel Amos 1:43.11

QT #3: If Centrowitz is competitive here, then watch out at at the Games, as he's got great tactics and will be on the upswing after knee surgery.

QT #4: Kaki has raced three times this year so far - a 1:43.71 win, a 1:43.69 win and a DNF at adidas NY. 1:43.6 or 7 isn't bad for most guys but people need to remember Kaki ran 1:42.69 as a junior in 2008 and 1:42.23 in 2010. If he doesn't win this race convincingly, maybe the silver is in play at the Olympics.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
18.10.1989
USA
1:47.77
1:47.77
24.10.1990
USA
1:45.06
1:45.40
21.06.1989
SUD
1:42.23
1:43.69
08.05.1990
KEN
1:43.76
1:43.76
02.09.1989
POL
1:43.30
1:43.83
08.02.1989
KEN
1:42.95
1:44.83
01.12.1990
GBR
1:45.90
1:46.17
19.02.1988
GBR
1:44.61
1:44.61
03.02.1986
GBR
1:43.89
1:44.86
21.11.1983
USA
1:46.11
23.04.1983
GBR
1:44.98
1:44.98

Men's Mile: Silas Kiplagat and Many of Kenya's Best Take on Nick Willis, Bernard Lagat and Leo Manzano

Do you remember the men's mile from this meet last year? Well we'll forgive you if you forgot but it was a great race. You can read our recap from last year here or watch the end of the race embedded on the right.

Leo FTW!!!! (Last Lap And Highlights)

Intermediate times:
400m - Bolas, Jack (USA) -55.51
800m - Bolas, Jack (USA) - 1:53.44
1,200m - Choge, Augustine Kiprono (KEN) - 2:53.33

Last year, Leo Manzano got one of the bigger wins of his career, as he came from way down to edge Bernard Lagat and Augustine Choge in a thriling finish. Let us give you an excerpt of what we wrote about Manzano after that win, as he always seemingly runs well in London:

    Good news American distance running fans, Leo Manzano's love affair with Great Britain is going very strong and the 2012 Olympics will be held in the UK next year.

    Over the last two years, Manzano has been known for some maddening inconsistency and for producing a few total stinkers of a race each year, highlighted or should we say lowlighted by a 13th place showing at Pre in 2009, 11th place and 13th place showings at Pre and Monaco last year and a 12th place showing in Stockholm just last week.

    But every time during that time frame that he's stepped foot in the UK, he's run very well.

    2009: He was 2nd in London in the mile in 3:53.01 and then won in Gateshead in the 1,500.
    2010: He was third in Gateshead in the 1,500 before getting third in the mile in London in 3:50.64.

    Well Manzano did even better today as he after seemingly being out of it 1000 into the race, he worked his way up to the lead pack and then did the unthinkable - went three wide and outkicked both Augustine Choge and Bernard Lagat to get the win in 3:51.24.

So Manzano always seems to run well in the UK. Well the good news for him is he's got this mile in London and then the Olympic 1,500 in London next month. ANd he omes into this race after having earned his first US title in the 1,500 after winning the US Trials.

Manzano may run well in the UK historically, but he's going to have his hands full in this one, as the field is certainly tougher than last year. Last year's race did incldue Bernard Lagat, but Lagat is no longer a truly premier miler like he once was. Manzano will face a truly elite miler this year, as leading the field is Kenyan Olympic Trials champion Silas Kiplagat, who also is the 2012 world leader in terms of time (3:29.63) and also was the silver medallist last year at 1,500. Good luck beating him.

The field also includes the fourth and fifth placers from the Kenyan Trials in Caleb Ndiku and Bethwell Birgen. Ndiku, still just 19, clearly is a big-time talent. The 2010 World Junior Cross-Country and 1,500 champion was fourth at the Kenyan trials and ran 3:50.00 for the mile earlier this year in the Dream Mile in Oslo. He came within a half second of taking reigning world and Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop's Olympic spot at the Kenyan Trials, as Kiprop had to rally to get by Ndiku for third. The 23-year-old Birgen has really come on this year, as he's twice run 3:50 and change this year for the full mile and he is #5 on the 2012 list in the 1,500 (3:31.17) - a big improvement from his 3:34.59 from last year. Like Ndiku and Birgen, the 8th placer at the Kenyan Trials, Collins Cheboi, also beat Manzano earlier this year at Pre. Cheboi is in the field as well.


Leo Manzano Winning Last Year

Earlier, we said Lagat isn't the premier miler that he once was. Yes, we know he did win the 1,500 at the adidas GP in New York earlier this year, but that was a 3:34 race. Having lost in a kick to Rupp in the 5,000 at the US Trials, he'll be looking to get a tad bit sharper for the Olympic 5,000. The good news for Lagat is he seems to be moving in the right direction. He was awful at Pre and then impressive at adidas. Closing in 52 in a 13:20-low race at the Trials was nothing to be ashamed of. Lagat might have won that race had he waited to pass Rupp at the very end.

Oh yeah, there is one other guy in the race worth paying real close attention to - 2008 Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis. The guy proved four years ago he knows how to race and how to peak when it counts and he seems to be rounding into good form. He ran 3:51.77 in his only 1,500/mile of the outdoor season at Pre and that was over a month ago. He had a 1:46.18 run at 800 last Saturday, which isn't bad for him (1:45.54 PR).

Make that two guys worth paying attention to, as British champ Andy Baddeley is also in the field. Given the fact his 1,500 SB is just 3:35.19, it might be easy to overlook him, but Baddeley hasn't lost an outdoor race so far in 2012, picking up wins at Stanford and Mt. SAC. The 30-year-old has a mile PR of 3:49.38 from 2008.

QT #1: It's hard to believe that Aussie record holder Ryan Gregson is in the field and didn't get a mention in our preview. The 22-year-old, who ran 3:31.06 at age 20 in 2010 - which is faster than Nick Willis's 3:31.79 PR by the way, has been really having a tough go of it this year. Here are his four 1,500/mile races so far this year. And note: The 3:48 race was a 1,500, not a mile.

3:33.92 - 1,500 - 11  Diamond Doha  11 May
3:48.39 - 1,500 - 19  Mohammed VI Rabat  27 May
3:53.62 -  Mile - 10  Bislett Oslo  7 June
3:39.89 - 1,500 - 6   Folksam Sollentuna  5 July

QT #2: When Lagat lost this race last year to Manzano, it was probably an omen that he'd lose to Farah in the kick at Worlds. We kind of think that's the case again this year. If he can't be the top American here, he's unlikely to win gold at the Olympics in the 5,000.

QT #3: A top three finish by Manzano or Willis would be pretty good here - top two would be fantastic.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
20.06.1982
GBR
3:49.38
3:54.29
06.08.1988
KEN
3:50.43
3:50.43
25.09.1987
KEN
3:51.44
3:51.44
09.03.1980
KEN
3:50.24
3:50.24
26.04.1990
AUS
3:52.24
3:53.62
07.11.1993
GBR
24.02.1991
NOR
3:57.35
3:57.35
20.08.1989
KEN
3:49.39
3:53.73
16.01.1985
KEN
12.12.1974
USA
3:47.28
3:54.28
12.09.1984
USA
3:50.64
3:53.07
08.10.1990
GBR
09.10.1992
KEN
3:49.77
3:50.00
11.11.1986
AUS
3:51.25
3:52.53
25.04.1983
NZL
3:50.66
3:51.77

Women's 800: Janeth Jepkosgei Tries To Regain Her Form as Many Others Try To Get Over Their Olympic Size Disappointments

Kenya's Janeth Jepkosgei, who has medalled at the last four global outdoor championships and ran 1:57.79 in May, will be looking to regain some momentum after some recent poor performances when she competes in the women's 800 against a bunch of women who will be trying to shake off Olympic disappointments.

The challengers to Jepkosgei, who ran just 1:59.42 in her last Diamond League outing and then just 2:00.47 for third at the Kenyan Trials, include the following unlucky women:

Molly Beckwith (USA). With a 1:59.18 SB, Beckwith is still the 2nd-fastest woman in the US on the year but she was an agonizing 4th at the US Trials.

Winny Chebet (KEN)- Was 2nd at the Kenyan Trials ahead of Jepkosgei but lacked the 'A' standard and was unable to get it in two races last week.

Marlyn Okoro (GBR): Three times she's run 1:59 this year but GBR decided to bypass her and slew of other women with the 'A' to take Lynsey Sharp with the 'B'.

Not everyone besides Jepkosgei was left off their respective Olympic teams. US Trials runner-up Geena Gall is racing as is Jamaica Trials champ Kenia Sinclair.

QT #1: It's good to see Beckwith back at it. At the Trials, she was justifiably devastated but a lot of athletes seem to not realize that sitting around and feeling sorry for oneself isn't going to do any good.

QT #2: It will be interesting to see how Sinclair does here. She is a person who in year's past has been on fire early in the year with ridiculous runs at Penn Relays only to fade later in the year. We're not sure if she's been hurt or delayed her season on purpose but we'll be paying close attention to how she does.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
25.12.1987
MAR
1:59.75
1:59.80
04.08.1987
USA
1:59.12
1:59.18
20.12.1990
KEN
2:00.33
2:00.33
15.03.1988
POL
2:00.20
2:01.71
18.01.1987
USA
1:59.24
1:59.24
30.06.1986
NED
1:58.85
2:02.33
25.11.1983
KEN
2:00.90
2:00.90
13.12.1983
KEN
1:56.04
1:57.79
23.09.1984
GBR
1:58.45
1:59.33
14.07.1980
JAM
1:57.88
2:01.55

Women's Steeple: World Champ Silver Medallist Ghirbi Is The Class Of The Field.

British record holder Barbara Parker, who set the British record at Pre in June of 9:24.24 will be looking to regain her good form in the women's steeple when she takes on Paris winner and 2011 World Championships silver medallist Habiba Ghribi (Boudraa) of Tunisia. US Olympic Trials runner-up Bridget Franek is also in the field as are US 4th placer Ashley Higginson and Sara Hall.

QT#1: We say Parker is looking to regain her good form as she's been up and down all year. Check out her 3 steeples this year.

9:40.16   8   Diamond Shanghai 19 May
9:24.24 NR  PR (8)   4   Pre Eugene OR 2 June
9:37.41   8   Areva   Saint-Denis 6 July

QT #2: Parker may be #8 in the world so far this year, but this race looks like an easy victory for Ghribi.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
18.06.1989
ETH
9:28.27
9:28.27
03.10.1987
ROU
9:30.07
9:31.95
08.04.1989
KEN
9:35.31
9:35.31
08.11.1987
USA
9:32.35
9:35.62
09.04.1984
TUN
9:11.97
9:28.81
15.04.1983
USA
9:39.48
9:42.96
17.03.1989
USA
9:38.06
9:38.06
18.01.1976
JAM
9:28.86
9:42.27
07.04.1985
POL
9:26.93
9:41.29
13.08.1987
RUS
9:26.03
9:35.41
08.11.1982
GBR
9:24.24
9:24.24
24.12.1991
GBR
10:02.63
10:02.63

Other Events

Women's Triple Jump: World Champ Olha Saldukha Is Here

The British champ and 2011 world indoor champ Yamilé Aldama will have her hands full with 2011 world outdoor champ and 2012 world leader Olha Saldukha of the Ukraine.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
14.08.1972
GBR
15.29
14.65
01.05.1987
BUL
14.34
14.03
12.02.1984
COL
14.99
14.95
21.11.1988
POR
14.52
14.52
04.06.1983
UKR
14.99
14.99
19.02.1991
GBR
13.75
13.75
27.04.1982
USA
14.18
13.94
03.06.1981
SVK
14.51
14.36
03.11.1988
JAM
14.52
14.52

Men's High Jump: The British Champ Jumps

British champ Robbie Grabarz headlines.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
15.12.1984
GBR
2.30
2.28
06.03.1990
CAN
2.31
2.31
03.10.1987
GBR
2.36
2.36
30.09.1986
CAN
2.31
2.31
19.06.1988
BUL
2.29
2.27
25.06.1981
GBR
2.30
2.28
05.05.1984
GBR
2.30
2.25
26.09.1979
SLO
2.32
2.32
01.07.1984
BAH
2.35
2.27
21.08.1979
FIN
2.27
2.25

Women's 100: Carmelita Jeter Is Here - What About Mark Block?

US champ and 2011 world champ Caremelita Jeter headlines with US runner-up Tianna Madison as the #2 seed..

QT #1: Will disgraced agent Mark Block be there to cheer her on?

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
22.04.1985
GBR
11.48
11.59
23.08.1987
CIV
11.00
11.00
25.11.1980
JAM
11.04
11.04
27.07.1988
JAM
11.05
11.05
24.01.1986
GBR
11.05
11.47
27.12.1986
JAM
10.70
10.70
24.11.1979
USA
10.64
10.81
02.01.1989
USA
11.07
11.13
30.08.1985
USA
10.96
10.96
09.10.1988
NGR
11.01
03.03.1988
NOR
11.16
11.16
25.10.1990
GBR
11.37
11.53
18.10.1990
JAM
11.05
11.26
12.08.1984
JAM
10.82
11.01
11.09.1983
USA
10.88
11.15
31.08.1989
SKN
11.18
11.18

Men's Shot Put: Reese Hoffa Is The Man To Beat

Last year's world championship silver medallist Dylan Armstong faces 2008 and 2009 silver medallist Tomasz Majewski, but the man to beat is seemingly 2012 world #2 and 2012 US trials winner Reese Hoffa, who was world champion in 2007.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
15.01.1981
CAN
22.21
21.50
01.04.1984
DEN
20.06
20.02
26.09.1982
POR
21.02
21.02
08.10.1977
USA
22.43
22.00
28.06.1989
USA
21.08
21.08
30.08.1981
POL
21.95
21.60
21.10.1979
GBR
21.92
20.13
09.07.1981
NED
21.62
20.55

Women's 100 Hurdles: The Top 7 In The World Race

Take a look at the seasonal bests below and you'll see that the top 7 on the 2012 world list are all here (two of whom won't be going to the Olympics in Crawford and Catlin) but Pearson is a heavy, heavy favorite.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
23.10.1988
USA
12.73
12.78
22.12.1979
USA
12.47
12.76
07.07.1988
USA
12.56
12.56
05.11.1989
USA
12.81
12.81
07.09.1983
USA
12.45
12.59
07.11.1974
JAM
12.45
12.51
16.11.1987
CAN
12.72
12.72
31.05.1986
JAM
12.77
12.77
07.05.1987
CAN
12.80
12.80
16.03.1985
USA
12.76
12.84
26.08.1982
CAN
12.49
12.64
29.05.1990
USA
12.68
12.68
19.09.1986
AUS
12.28
12.40
13.11.1987
GBR
12.56
12.65
15.04.1988
AUT
12.95
12.98
16.07.1982
USA
12.50
12.55

Men's 200: Churandy Martina Leads

The Netherlands Churandy Martina who ran a 19.94 pb for the win in New York is the heavy favorite here.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
12.05.1982
JAM
20.06
20.21
06.09.1985
GBR
20.52
20.55
30.10.1985
JAM
20.29
20.53
11.06.1990
FRA
19.80
20.31
03.06.1979
GBR
20.08
20.46
03.07.1984
NED
19.94
19.94
01.05.1991
GBR
20.54
20.66

Women's Javelin: Top Two From 2012 Battle

The top two on the 2012 world list in world leader Sunette Viljoen and Barbara Spotáková are in London and will battlle just as they did in New York where Viljoen got the win

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
28.12.1984
AUS
63.82
61.70
10.07.1982
AUS
64.34
64.34
08.11.1983
GER
64.67
63.20
25.02.1989
UKR
66.86
66.86
16.07.1982
GBR
65.75
64.73
30.06.1981
CZE
72.28
68.73
02.10.1985
GER
66.81
64.35
06.10.1983
RSA
69.35
69.35

Men's 400: King James Should Win

World champ Kirani James is the man to beat here as he faces British champ Martyn Rooney and former Olympic champ Jeremy Wariner.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
15.10.1978
BAH
44.40
45.14
01.12.1987
ISV
44.77
45.20
01.09.1992
GRN
44.36
44.72
30.04.1989
GBR
45.11
45.11
16.04.1990
USA
44.49
44.49
03.04.1987
GBR
44.60
44.92
31.01.1984
USA
43.45
44.96
20.03.1982
GBR
45.08
45.08

Men's Triple Jump: Gold Vs. Silver

Britain's favorite jumper Phillips Idowu, the silver medallist at worlds last year, will jump for the first time since the Pre Classic. He'll face triple jump world champ Christain Taylor.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
05.08.1987
FRA
17.31
17.03
01.03.1989
ITA
17.47
17.47
30.12.1978
GBR
17.81
17.31
17.07.1984
HAI
17.39
16.88
01.10.1980
NGR
17.23
17.23
16.08.1981
BAH
17.59
17.23
27.01.1981
ITA
17.27
16.97
13.08.1976
FRA
17.45
16.84
18.06.1990
USA
17.96
17.63

Women's 400: Montso vs. Ohuruogu

World champ Amantle Monto takes on 2008 Olympic champ Christine Ohuuogu.

Athlete DATE OF BIRTH Nation PB SB
08.01.1989
USA
50.56
51.19
22.01.1985
GBR
50.84
51.54
23.07.1986
USA
49.84
50.72
04.07.1983
BOT
49.54
49.54
17.05.1984
GBR
49.61
50.59
06.05.1987
JAM
50.55
51.81
08.09.1986
JAM
49.84
50.62
17.09.1985
JAM
49.32
51.10

Comments, questions, suggestions, story you'd like to submit? Email us

Quantcast


Tell a friend about this article
(Dont worry we won't email your friend(s) again. We send them a 1 time email)
Enter their email address(es), separated by a comma.
Enter your name:

Don't Worry: We
Back to Main Front Page
Questions, comments or suggestions?Please email the LetsRun.com staff at suggestions@LetsRun.com.


Back To Top