Boris Berian in Monaco 800

MakwalaFan wrote:

A bit odd not to see any of Amercian top 3 in this race (none in Lausanne 800 either).

Not so much. 800 is the hardest event to hold a peak for and all of these guys had to come into USATF pretty sharp.

MakwalaFan wrote:

Anyway ... real reason for the thread is, What will Berian run in Monaco?

Probably 1:43 if he gets in good position. They will almost certainly ask Som for 50-low and he is brilliant. No reason Berian can't PR if he sits in behind one of the big frontrunners and closes well, or even runs right behind the pacer himself. Som won't do anything ridiculous so might as well just stay on him.

MakwalaFan wrote:

I'm also very interested to see what Souleiman can do. I think he has a sub-1:43 in him.

1:43, yes. 1:42, no.

MakwalaFan wrote:

Just saw the provisional entry lists for Monaco.

Berian is in a pretty stacked 800, versus Amos, Aman, Bosse, Cheuriyot, world junior champ Kipketer, Souleiman, Kszczot, Lewandowski ... with Som getting pacemaking duties.

A bit odd not to see any of Amercian top 3 in this race (none in Lausanne 800 either). There isn't a mens 800 in either London or Stockholm meeting (at least a dimaond league one, perhaps there will be a non-scoring one?) and there is only one World Challenge meeting before Worlds (Madrid, 11 July ... don't know if it has 800 or not).

Are Symmonds, Sowinski, or Loxsom, running any races before worlds? At some smaller meets I'd guess?

Anyway ... real reason for the thread is, What will Berian run in Monaco?

I'm also very interested to see what Souleiman can do. I think he has a sub-1:43 in him.

The pack will lead him to a quick time I'm guessing. Like they did in NY that caught everyone's eyes. Not knowing how to run the rounds is what got him at USA's. This is mentioned in his pursuit episode.

I have to wonder whether he peaked for New York. He was down for USA's. Perhaps it is quite enough time for him to be back at full strength. If you could take that shape for New York, sharpen it with a few more workouts, and then run behind a very fast set of pacers the whole way in Monaco, he could break 1:43. I have no idea which version will show up. I hope he does it, because that New York race was quite the breakthrough, and windy and hot.

Never mind about Symmonds and co ... I now see all 3 are running the 800 in Edmonton, 12 July.

Looks like they are the headliners that event though, so no real competition. Can't find the startlists, but the press release only mentions Spratling along with USAs top 3.

MakwalaFan wrote:

Anyway ... real reason for the thread is, What will Berian run in Monaco?

rupp-certified saladbar wrote:

Probably 1:43 if he gets in good position. They will almost certainly ask Som for 50-low and he is brilliant. No reason Berian can't PR if he sits in behind one of the big frontrunners and closes well

Damn I'm good.

MakwalaFan wrote:

I'm also very interested to see what Souleiman can do. I think he has a sub-1:43 in him.

rupp-certified saladbar wrote:

1:43, yes. 1:42, no.

OK, he went 1:42.97.

1:43 is a pretty broad prediction and Som went 49.41 ... some ways faster than "50-low".

It's funny ... when I made this thread I'm pretty sure I'd never even heard of Amel Tuka.

He ran 1:44.19 on July 1, 1:43.84 on 11 July and now 1:42.51 July 17. Not bad.

Before that I believe his PR was 1:45 and change ... maybe even 1:46. I know he started the year with a 1:46.12 PR. Not sure if he ran faster than that before the 1:44.

Berian was great. Bosse really tanked hard after hitting 600 at 1:15-high, and Aman was going backwards the last 100 as well. 1:44.09 isn't a terrible time, but you expect him to be up there in contention for the win.

It was amazing to see Bosse, Aman, Amos and Souleiman 4-wide coming off the final bend. Pretty sure I've never seen that, at least not in a 800 this quick.

MakwalaFan wrote:

1:43 is a pretty broad prediction and Som went 49.41 ... some ways faster than "50-low".

It's funny ... when I made this thread I'm pretty sure I'd never even heard of Amel Tuka.

He ran 1:44.19 on July 1, 1:43.84 on 11 July and now 1:42.51 July 17. Not bad.

Before that I believe his PR was 1:45 and change ... maybe even 1:46. I know he started the year with a 1:46.12 PR. Not sure if he ran faster than that before the 1:44.

Berian was great. Bosse really tanked hard after hitting 600 at 1:15-high, and Aman was going backwards the last 100 as well. 1:44.09 isn't a terrible time, but you expect him to be up there in contention for the win.

It was amazing to see Bosse, Aman, Amos and Souleiman 4-wide coming off the final bend. Pretty sure I've never seen that, at least not in a 800 this quick.

My thought was that Berian would replicate or slightly improve on his PR coming in, which played out pretty much as I figured it would.

You are right that Som went through faster (49.4!) than I guessed, although thankfully the lead guys laid off and came through in 50-low/mid.

Never heard of Tuka, ever. The event just even more interesting!