Famiglietti advances to steeple final with PR of 8:17.34

Yes, Fam is in top form. Good to see.

And the Olympics is always fascinating. Note the runner from Moldova, easily one of the most impoverished countries in Europe, running 8:18. There's likely a pretty impressive story of dedication behind that time.

Famagetti? is that some kind of pasta..

He will crap his pants when the kenyans get ahold of him..

He is a sissy.

“I just have to go wire to wire,” he said. “The engine’s there. The water jumps are there. The hurdles are there. It comes down to guts. I have the tools. I can run 8:05 or whatever it takes.”

Famiglietti's words following his semi. I hope he can deliver on this promise in the final.

Maybe you should write the entire quote and not paraphrase.

Fam beat the best Kenyan, Olympic gold medalist Kemboi in his heat out kicking Kemboi even after Fam ran a 59 first lap over hurdles. Kemboi crapped his pants from Fam's pace setting.

Very ballsy race from all account. Wish we could see it!

He has to have all pistons pumping for the finals. Now he's the one they're looking to beat. Should he have just finished in top 2 or 3 to keep pressure off and blast the final...or is he in a better position at top with gained confidence that he's winning? I have reservations about the kenyans not holding back a bit in the simis. They're going hunting, believe me.

Of course they were holding back, but Fam definitely made the right decision by going for it in the semi, especially considering his personality type. Just look at the quote. I'm sure he believes in himself far more now than he did before going over to Beijing. Now when the going gets really tough in the middle/end of the race (as it undoubtedly will), he will be able to call on this confidence and know that he belongs up front with the best.

Intergalactic wrote:

Of course they were holding back, but Fam definitely made the right decision by going for it in the semi, especially considering his personality type. Just look at the quote. I'm sure he believes in himself far more now than he did before going over to Beijing. Now when the going gets really tough in the middle/end of the race (as it undoubtedly will), he will be able to call on this confidence and know that he belongs up front with the best.

Yea, I'm with you. I'm hoping maybe a bronze medal if things turn out well for him? I'm sure he'll be gunning for the medal stand at least.

I just can't help but remember Marc Davis' little show off maneuver in the 1984 semis?

Why in the f*** is NBC not showing these great stories from the track!!! This is utterly ridiculous!

You guys really live in a fantasy world dont you? First of all an 8:17 strikes fear into none of the Kenyans competing.

Secondly PRing in a heat probably means he wont run any faster a few days from now when it counts. Not good strategy at all.

Frankly Fam just blew it.

Your argument makes no sense. If you believe he can't run any faster then 8:17 then even if he was fresh in the finals he wouldn't medal. So at least he got into the finals. If he took you advice he probably would be on a flight home now.

Tommi2Nuts wrote:

You guys really live in a fantasy world dont you? First of all an 8:17 strikes fear into none of the Kenyans competing.

Secondly PRing in a heat probably means he wont run any faster a few days from now when it counts. Not good strategy at all.

Frankly Fam just blew it.

Tommi2Nuts wrote:

Secondly PRing in a heat probably means he wont run any faster a few days from now when it counts. Not good strategy at all.

Frankly Fam just blew it.

I'm not saying he will run faster, but it's ridic to think that was all he can do. did you even look at the splits he ran? 240(59 first lap apparently)/251/246. That demonstrates to me that he can go faster off a different pace.

Uhhhhhh.... Fam's PR is good for him, but ummmm he'll be jocking for last in the finals. Not a player.

Billy and Josh were very, very disappointing. I hope Fam, Jenny and Anna will represent us well in the finals.

If he can run 8:05, why is his PR 8:17?

What the hell is wrong with you people? Fam made the final, beat the defending Olympic Champion, and led the majority of the race. What more can the guy do to meet your standards?

Maybe he won't medal but give the guy some f***ing credit for being the only American to perform in Bejing. He is getting more shit for making the finals than Nelson or McAdams are for totally bombing in their races.

Personally, I'm damn proud to be an American and I'm damn proud of Anthoy Famiglietti for doing what he is doing on the other side of the world in the name of Americans.

any videos footage of the race floating around?

That's what makes track so great. Very few, if any, sports are as univrsal as track. You can be a good distance runner from anywhere in the world.

That also makes winning a medal all the more of an accomplishment.

You have to be great to win a medal is any sport, but in track the number of potential opponents is much greater.

Fam is fast, love the way he runs but he is the biggest moron; who needs his stupid philosophies. You don't hear the "hard working, non-American dream living" Kenyans spouting off at the mouth all the time.