Donavan Brazier – 20 Yr Old US 800 Star – Talks Before His First World Indoor Championships
by LetsRun.com
March 1, 2018
BIRMINGHAM, England — We caught up with Donavan Brazier, the 2nd fastest indoor 800 American runner in history, today at a press conference for before the start of the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships begin tomorrow.
You can listen to the interview below but if you don’t have that much time we have a few highlights for you below.
On his goals for this weekend.
“I’m excited to race fast…. I’m excite to see what kind of time I can drop and potentially get a medal and bring one home for the US.”
On whether he is confident
“I’m feeling confident. I’m coming in off a string of three PRs and coming to this meet I’m just trying to get adjusted so I can be as confident as I can be.
On the strategy he needs to use to beat Emmanuel Korir
“The more talented I get, The more physically fit I feel, the more confident I am going into the race and I don’t have to worry about strategics (strategy). When you are there physically and mentally, you don’t really have to think about strategy. – whatever the race does – you don’t have to worry about it too much. You already have play like what’s going to happen like a thousand times in your head. So I’m just thinking about all types of scenarios – if I take it out fast, if I take it out slow and I see myself coming out good like on every end of those…
“I don’t know what it’ll take. I think it will take something special. He’s been really good since he stepped on the track.
“I’m hoping the race goes out fast because that will play in my favor and hopefully take it away from Adam Kszczot (POL), but I think it’ll take a fast race. In the last 200m I can’t think, I’ve just got to go.”
On whether this race is the one he’s best prepared for:
“I think every race I get better. Last year indoors I made the top three for the 600m and this year I came in first. Last year outdoors for the Olympic trials I didn’t even make the final, this year I made the team.
“Every year I learn from my mistakes and this is my first indoor year. I hope I don’t have a mistake I have to learn from; I hope it’ll be right first time.”