Price's pace wasn't uneven. It was a positive split, but it was gradual. "Uneven" in this context would be running a 15.5, then a 15.0, then a 16.0, then a 15.5, etc. -- surging and fading and surging, which is going to cost Dibaba energy as she accelerates and then loses momentum.
Price's pacing being a gradual slowdown wasn't nearly ideal (as I already stated in that post), but it wasn't killing Dibaba's chances to run fast. The first lap was expected to be faster, because you have to get out faster, it just would have PROBABLY been better if the rest of the way she was running 15.5's (62.0 pace) which would have resulted in a slightly slower first lap and a faster second, leading into the key third lap (for a time trial).
Needing to close hard: Dibaba didn't close hard. She closed the last 200 at 62 second pace for 400m (15.4-15.5 for a 30.9 second last 200m). Is THAT not obvious basic running knowledge, that closing the race no faster than the pace she was already running it is not "closing hard"?
Interesting - Dibaba just set a world record by NOT closing the last 100m the fastest (something usually done in tactical or championship settings, not settings where you are trying to run the best time you possibly can) wasn't something she should have done?
I wonder, how many world records were run where the last 100m was notably faster than the rest of the race? Probably not many. Most of the time, when going for a fast time in, say, a 1500m, you are going to run a quick third lap in order to get to that time. Why? Because chasing records means taking risks, most notably that you are going through the mid/late stages of the race FASTER than you normally would. This is different from racing for medals because the point there is to be in a position to win (and if you go too hard too early, you're going to have less left in the tank when someone gets on your shoulder to challenge you as you come into the homestretch). In other words, going for fast times (time trialing) means you are going to be more aggressive in the middle/late stages of the race while NOT saving yourself for a big final push.
But, with your wealth of racing and coaching knowledge, I'm sure you already knew that and are just testing the masses on LRC. Price didn't do a perfect job, but we don't know what would have happened if Price did run the more ideal 15.5's throughout.