I met Alfred Kipketer yesterday at world juniors, I told him not to go 48s for the first 400m.

48.0-51.9=1:39.9=GOAT!

Did a little bit of quick googling but couldn't find a 400m time for him - does anyone happen to know what his 400m PR is? [workout best or relay split if he's never done it in an actual race.]

1:45.67 In Nairobi in june 2014

That is his 800m time!! He ran 1.44.2h in Kenya earlier.

At the world relays (he ran the final leg) they said his PR was 47.9. That means he is literally sprinting his first 200-400m in the 800m, and then just hanging on, not much slower than his 400mPR.

Just as he did at World Youth last year (48/59), he ran the same time at the relays. A real talent but a very stupid racer who is getting away (due to to his ability) with it for now in the junior ranks - although he almost blew it at the relays.

Hate to be in his heat or semi - what do you do? If he is going to run that fast to start, why even bother to run with him. Look at what happened at WY last year - the africans who went with him died, and the Russian and Brit wound up with the minor medals even though they were way behind at 400m.

oregon or bust wrote:

A real talent but a very stupid racer who is getting away

If he is getting away with it, he is a great racer and you are the stupid one.

He has raced couple big races this year, I think he has learned a thing or two.

oregon or bust wrote:

That is his 800m time!! He ran 1.44.2h in Kenya earlier.

At the world relays (he ran the final leg) they said his PR was 47.9. That means he is literally sprinting his first 200-400m in the 800m, and then just hanging on, not much slower than his 400mPR.

His 400m ability isn't 47.9, if he truly ran that close to his PR for a first lap there's no way he could hang on even with a 60. He is probably a 46.mid guy

LOL calling a 1:47 junior runner stupid. Great talent who gets great results. If he goes out in 48 then his PB is a lot lower than 47.9. It takes courage to run an 800m race the way he does. As he gains experience the first and second lap differential will become less.

Interesting. Does he have a coach?!

I'd call a 1:36 guy stupid if that's what he were. Why do you think time is relevant? That might be his 400 pr but he can certainly go a hell of a lot faster.

Hank Moody wrote:

I'd call a 1:36 guy stupid if that's what he were. Why do you think time is relevant? That might be his 400 pr but he can certainly go a hell of a lot faster.

Agreed, I have met some really dumb, extremely talented athletes. One is completely independent of the other.

I think we can all agree that positive splitting an 800 by 12 seconds is a terrible strategy. I think there is logic behind positive splitting an 800 by a few seconds or negative splitting by a few seconds and everything in between. Positive splitting by that much is just crazy.

He's gonna kill some people. Yay.

Won his heat with even splits. Must have listened to you. Just a young runner with great speed and potential learning how to race.

heat time?

He's not a junior.

He seems he has matured a bit. The other Kenyan teammate is also good.

vault coach wrote:

Hank Moody wrote:

I'd call a 1:36 guy stupid if that's what he were. Why do you think time is relevant? That might be his 400 pr but he can certainly go a hell of a lot faster.

Agreed, I have met some really dumb, extremely talented athletes. One is completely independent of the other.

I think we can all agree that positive splitting an 800 by 12 seconds is a terrible strategy. I think there is logic behind positive splitting an 800 by a few seconds or negative splitting by a few seconds and everything in between. Positive splitting by that much is just crazy.

Unfortunately that's why there are so many bad coaches in the sport. Every sport for that mater.

WJL and gold medal winner in 1:43.95. A young runner learning how to compete. I'd call him a lot of things like incredible, and a potential future world record holder.

Interesting arm action from Kipketer coming home - he certainly makes things entertaining.