Employeee #1
men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 1:32AM Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
The men's 800 semi-finals are coming up in a few hours... who got the toughest draw?

Rudisha has the easiest heat in heat 3. No excuses if he doesn't make the final. Nobody with a PB under 1:44.2. Note that again: no competitor in his heat has run within 3 seconds of his world record.

The Americans are in the first two heats.

Symmonds (heat 2) avoids Kaki and Rudisha. He's run the fastest in 2011 and won his first round heat. Bram Som, Yuriy Borzakovskiy and Jackson Kivuva are clearly his biggest threats. If Symmonds gets a fast heat (Mumba might take it out), I like his chances. But if Rudisha and Kaki take their heats fast, and Symmonds' heat is slow, he may be left with a crap shoot.

Khadevis has to contend with world champion Alfred Kirwa Yego and Kaki, 2 other lifetime 1:43 guys (Lewandowski and Reina), plus 17 year old Ethiopian Mohammed Aman. KD, possessing the 2nd-fastest 2011 performance in his semi, hopes for a fast pace up front from Kaki, and a great finish. He's definitely got his work cut out for him to make the final, but unlike Symmonds he knows he'll get a fast opening lap.

http://daegu2011.iaaf.org/ResultsByDate.aspx?racedate=08-28-2011/sex=M/discCode=800/combCode=hash/roundCode=sf/startlist.html#detM_800_hash_sf

Heat 1 (Top 2 plus next 2 times to final)
Lane Athlete Country 2011 PB
1 Andreas Bube DEN 1:46.10 1:46.10
2 Sajad Moradi IRI 1:46.35 1:44.74
3 Alfred Kirwa Yego KEN 1:44.55 1:42.67
4 Khadevis Robinson USA 1:44.03 1:43.68
5 Marcin Lewandowski POL 1:44.61 1:43.84
6 Abubaker Kaki SUD 1:43.13 1:42.23
7 Mohammed Aman ETH 1:44.68 1:44.68
8 Antonio Manuel Reina ESP 1:45.38 1:43.83

Heat 2
Sunday 28 August 2011 - 18:09
Lane Athlete Country 2011 PB
1 Prince Mumba ZAM 1:46.14 1:46.14
2 Tamás Kazi HUN 1:46.29 1:45.55
3 Kevin López ESP 1:44.49 1:44.49
4 Yuriy Borzakovskiy RUS 1:43.99 1:42.47
5 Jackson Mumbwa Kivuva KEN 1:44.40 1:43.72
6 Nick Symmonds USA 1:43.83 1:43.76
7 Andrew Osagie GBR 1:45.36 1:45.36
8 Bram Som NED 1:45.69 1:43.45

Heat 3
Sunday 28 August 2011 - 18:18
Lane Athlete Country 2011 PB
1 Luis Alberto Marco ESP 1:45.95 1:45.26
2 Moussa Camara MLI 1:46.38 1:46.38
3 Adam Kszczot POL 1:44.30 1:44.30
4 David Lekuta Rudisha KEN 1:42.61 1:41.01
5 Rafith Rodríguez COL 1:44.31 1:44.31
6 Kleberson Davide BRA 1:44.21 1:44.21
7 Mohammad Al-Azemi KUW 1:45.35 1:44.13
8 Mahfoud Brahimi ALG 1:45.84 1:45.84
carlos casteneda
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 1:57AM - in reply to Employeee #1 Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
I think Heat 1 and 3 are the toughest going off of big names and talent.
No excuses if he doesn't make the final? I'd say no excuses if he doesnt win.
MAKid
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 4:04AM - in reply to Employeee #1 Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Yeah Heat 1 was brutal. KD gave it is best shot but just missed the top 4. Looks like all 4 of them might make the final.
10 events
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 4:05AM - in reply to carlos casteneda Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Kaki finishes third in first heat, but has a good chance of getting a Q because the race was around 1:44.

He had about a 30m lead 500m in and crashed hard with 150 to go. KD surged into 3rd with 150, but couldn't close with the others.
asdfasdfasdf
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 4:10AM - in reply to 10 events Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
the 2nd heat was slow, KD made it in by time!
in rok
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 4:10AM - in reply to 10 events Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
I loved hearing the Korean announcers on TV saying, "Neek Seemound-sa!" He's in for the final.
asdfasdfasdf
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 4:13AM - in reply to asdfasdfasdf Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
scratch that, there are three heats. darn
greatnight
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 4:13AM - in reply to carlos casteneda Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
ahh KAKI WON'T MAKE IT as auto qualifier!!!

gets third in first heat, but 1:44 so should make it through, although he ran a TERRIBLE race, yet again.

symmonds CONTROLS second heat and finishes 2nd alongside large Russian.
10 events
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 4:13AM - in reply to asdfasdfasdf Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
asdfasdfasdf wrote:

the 2nd heat was slow, KD made it in by time!


I thought top two fastest move on? Yego and Kaki would get those spots.
asdfasdfasdf
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 4:20AM - in reply to greatnight Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Kaki made it in by time.
Mourinho
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 4:28AM - in reply to asdfasdfasdf Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
So this is the final:
Rudisha
Yego
Kaki
Ksczot
Lewandowski
Symmonds
Borza
Aman

If Kaki recovers from today's effort, it will be him vs Rudisha, but pay attention to Aman, he's been quite impressive.
MAKid
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 4:36AM - in reply to Mourinho Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Mourinho wrote:If Kaki recovers from today's effort, it will be him vs Rudisha, but pay attention to Aman, he's been quite impressive.


Kaki looked pretty vulnerable after his first round effort. I don't think there's any reason to believe he will recover better for the final. I think 2nd place is wide open.
webby
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 5:04AM - in reply to MAKid Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Well said.
can-can
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 9:58AM - in reply to webby Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Symmonds looked good, controlled the race perfectly. He won't be able to do that in the final, but could sneak in for a medal if he runs as smart as he did in the semi. Different tactics will be needed to do that - maybe even sitting off the back (as he has often done) and passing the carnage if Rudisha and Kaki go off really fast.
Indigo Butch
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 12:48PM - in reply to can-can Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Symmonds definitely got a shout at Silver but Rudisha has this in the bag.
crazy person
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 12:57PM - in reply to Indigo Butch Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
If Kaki goes with Rudisha, I don't think he will medal. He didn't look strong in that semi with a fast first lap. Kaki would crush the rest of the field if he held back and get silver easily.

But Kaki obviously wants to win, and he's going to give himself the best chance to do that. Should be a great final because all the big names made it.
ola
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 2:34PM - in reply to crazy person Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Going to be a great final. Another man who has looked very good is Adam Kshzcxzqchzhczhot. The conventional pick would be:

1. Rudisha
2. Kaki
3. Symmonds, Aman, or Kzqzgzczszzxzhot.

But I think it could well be:

1. Rudisha
2. Aman
3. Kzqxszqgxzzhot.
can-can
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 6:19PM - in reply to ola Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
I wouldn't rule our Yuri Borza for a medal though. He has done it before at this level, whereas Symmonds has yet to do this (hopefully that changes this year). The "kid" is also a danger man as who knows what he can do if he also runs smart.
Does Kaki have to go with Rudisha in order to beat him, or can he run even pace (Like Yuri and Nick often do) and kick off of that? After 2 1.44's, that might be the safer tactic, but does he know how to do this and has he got the patience anyway?
Yerpa a Derp
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/28/2011 6:38PM - in reply to can-can Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
can-can wrote:

I wouldn't rule our Yuri Borza for a medal though. He has done it before at this level, whereas Symmonds has yet to do this (hopefully that changes this year). The "kid" is also a danger man as who knows what he can do if he also runs smart.

I agree. He has looked just as good as Symmonds in the heats so far. If Kaki pulls a similar stunt, I could see Borza blowing past him for a silver. He's looked very relax pulling away in each heat at 100m left.
Antonio Cabral
RE: men's 800 semis - who got the worst draw 8/29/2011 5:26AM - in reply to Employeee #1 Reply | Return to Index | Report Post
Usain Bolt out of 100m. Kenenisa Bekele out of 10000m. Mo farah just second in 10000m.
Rudisha, if he wins the 800m he risks to be the winner of this World champs. Rudisha world champion would mean 32 wins in 800m. 32 wins with 2 world records in the process.