1000m would be a great race between Keely and Faith. Alas, no 1000m races for women on the DL calendar this year. But they created that special 2 mile for Jakob so perhaps they could do the same for this clash. Would get significant fan interest.
An 800 between these two isn't going to happen. Faith is moving up in distance as she ages, not down. This is evidenced by her Paris DL 5000 performance. Hypotheticals are fun to think about but this isn't one that is going to happen.
As mentioned, an event such as Keely & Faith squaring off over 1000 makes more sense. Edge to Faith in this one.
Speaking of hypotheticals, a more tantalizing one would be Faith vs an in form and injury free Sifan over a distance of 3000 or 2 miles. Or perhaps, Faith moving up to the 10 and taking on Gidey. I would also rather see a rematch of Faith & Gidey over 5000 and put Sifan in there as well.
Some comments here and downvotes of other comments that are in support of Hodgkinson show that there are definitely some Keely haters out there. Why the hate? She works hard, she actually competes, she shows class, is gracious, and has a great attitude. I guess that some people are just so bitter and unhappy with their lives that they just like to hate. That is the way on these forums, though.
Faith negative split a 2-flat 800 (61.7, 58.9) at the end of her 1500 WR - that is indicative of 1:57-8 shape alone. If she is fresh, I believe she can run 1:55 easily.
Let's also not, Faith Kipyegon negative split 1:57at the 2016 Rio Olympic final. People forget how much of a monster she is, Keely is good but Faith is genuinely on another level. If they race 1v1 and Keely has to take it, Faith's strength will walk her down.
Some comments here and downvotes of other comments that are in support of Hodgkinson show that there are definitely some Keely haters out there. Why the hate? She works hard, she actually competes, she shows class, is gracious, and has a great attitude. I guess that some people are just so bitter and unhappy with their lives that they just like to hate. That is the way on these forums, though.
1000m would be a great race between Keely and Faith. Alas, no 1000m races for women on the DL calendar this year. But they created that special 2 mile for Jakob so perhaps they could do the same for this clash. Would get significant fan interest.
If you check up a few posts, #11, I posted the entire DL calendar and what is being held at each meeting. There is a 1000 being held at a CT meeting in Switzerland on August 4 prior to the WC.
Keely's strength lies in her determination. She is not the same talent level as Mu or Faith. Those two can do things without the same determination. Mu beat Keely last year off the couch while Keely was training and racing her pretty little azz off.
This is obvious that Mu and SML are above the rest, super talented, both young prodigies, with SML breaking all the records in her discipline in which always slow 400 flat women competed and thus was weak or even rather very weak (also completely without African prodigies).
Thus both Hodgkinson (also small young prodigy thus smaller gap between them) and Bol (not young prodigy, bigger gap), not so talented but hard working are and will be trying.
However not "off the couch", that is not true. She was not at her best (don't have time to recall details) but was preparing for Worlds for sure.
I like Keely, but I think she's a bit overrated. I think both Faith and Laura can beat her over 800 right now, if they just sharpened up for it; not even a whole training block would be needed.
I also think Keely should move up to the 1500 very soon. She has far more promise in that event thank Athing does. If Mu keeps training and does not retire soon, she will continue to dominate the 800, barring injury. Keely might be able to win in the 1500 as Faith and Muir move up soon.
1000m would be a great race between Keely and Faith. Alas, no 1000m races for women on the DL calendar this year. But they created that special 2 mile for Jakob so perhaps they could do the same for this clash. Would get significant fan interest.
800m would be a better distance. At 1000m, KH wouldn’t be competitive.
No way Faith gets her right now. Keely opened at 1:55.77. She's probably in sub 1:55 shape in the right race and she's always fast when it counts. Mu is the only one with a chance if she's even in shape these days.
If Faith trained for the 800 for 3 months, she would easily take Keely. Keely's strength lies in her determination. She is not the same talent level as Mu or Faith. Those two can do things without the same determination. Mu beat Keely last year off the couch while Keely was training and racing her pretty little azz off. Faith would have to work a little harder to train for an off event but her talent is next level and she would beat Keely easily.
Faith is not beating Keely easily no what anyone says. I think Keely might be ready to drop a 1:54.5 at worlds opening the way she did. Also, I never said Keely had Mu's talent but I'm beginning to doubt whether Athing is healthy this year. The longer she delays an opener raises legitimate doubts about her fitness. She could be ready to go but I'm losing confidence the longer she keeps hiding out.
A better question might be: Can Laure Muir run faster than Keely Hodgkinson?? Like Faith, if they trained for it, they would beat Keely. ....If Keely was cranking out sub-51 400s then it would be different but at 52.xx PR for 400, she is clearly a strength based 800 runner. Well if that's the case, Kipyegon and Muir both have more strength than Hodgkinson. It may even be the case that Muir and Kipyegon are faster over 400 meters too.
Any 800m female runner who can run 52.xx is 'speed based'. In other words, a 400/800 or pure 800-type (as opposed to a 8/15 type). In Keely's case based on what she did this weekend, she is most certainly a low 51 secs runner. I was at the UK U23/U20 Champs where she ran 52.2 and the wind for the 400s was horrible. Most women in the U23 final and all of the U20 heats that preceded it, were around a second outside their bests .
No way could either Muir or Kipyegon be faster 400 runners. Muir was running 55.3 when she was a 2:00 800m runner. Maybe she could have run 53.x when she running 1:56. As for Kipyegon - a 51 sec / 14:05 runner never existed.
Faith negative split a 2-flat 800 (61.7, 58.9) at the end of her 1500 WR - that is indicative of 1:57-8 shape alone. If she is fresh, I believe she can run 1:55 easily.
Let's also not, Faith Kipyegon negative split 1:57at the 2016 Rio Olympic final. People forget how much of a monster she is, Keely is good but Faith is genuinely on another level. If they race 1v1 and Keely has to take it, Faith's strength will walk her down.
I 100% agree with this.
This is no slight on Keely - she is a fantastic competitor, great for the sport, great great athlete.
And I get that FK is (clearly) a more 1500/5000m runner but watching both those WR's I just thought to myself without any doubts that she could run under 1.55 right now. If she got out behind the pace at 56.0, I just can't a see scenario in which she can't close out in under 59.0 seconds which would put her in the 1.54's.
So the question is can Keely run under 1.55 right now? It's borderline. I personally think she is more of a low 1.55 runner - like I wouldn't be shocked at all to see 1.55.2X this season.
But you are right, Kipyegon is on a different plateau right now - even at a shorter distance and with the way races are being run now thanks to advantages like wavelight, it would not matter - I think she could run the fastest 800 meters for women in the world and that includes Mu (does she still compete btw?)
i want all of you to watch the last 200 of faith's WR and honestly think about this. I think at worst its a tossup slightly favoring faith, but there's also a chance that faith could just run through keely.
1000m would be a great race between Keely and Faith. Alas, no 1000m races for women on the DL calendar this year. But they created that special 2 mile for Jakob so perhaps they could do the same for this clash. Would get significant fan interest.
Over 1000m? Faith would win that going away. By some margin. The current WR is 2.28.98 by Masterkova who ran 1.55.87 and 3.56.77 - times which Kipyegon can (has in the case of the 1500 already) slaughtered.
Kipyegon has the ability to break 2.27 - I think if Keely could break 2.29 it would be a fantastic performance from her.
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