Willis 3:32 National Rec only got 7th

do you honestly think henshko just came out of nowhere? idiot.

800 m 1:50.5h 3 Iten 29 Jun 2003

1500 m races under 3:33.00: 8

3:30.99 3 WK Zürich 6 Aug 2004

One Mile 3:54.56 1 Zipfer Linz 20 Aug 2001

2000 m 4:56.86 WJR 6 ISTAF Berlin 31 Aug 2001

3000 m 7:28.98 1 Super GP Doha 12 May 2006

5000 m 12:52.29 1 GGala Roma 8 Jul 2005

Progression:

personal best in BOLD - click on "Alltime" to get full listing of results in that event.

800 m

Outdoor Alltime

2002 1:51.52 1-22 FIJE Namur 31 Aug

2003 1:50.5h 3 Iten 29 Jun

1500 m

Outdoor Alltime

2001 3:35.55 1 Bayer Leverkusen 26 Aug

2002 3:34.20 2-22 WK Zürich 16 Aug

2003 3:31.54 1rA NA Heusden 2 Aug

2004 3:30.99 3 WK Zürich 6 Aug

2005 3:31.72 2 ISTAF Berlin 4 Sep

2006 3:31.85 5 Gaz Saint-Denis 8 Jul

One Mile

Outdoor Alltime

2001 3:54.56 1 Zipfer Linz 20 Aug

2002 3:57.16 3 Naimette-Xhovémont 27 Aug

2000 m

Outdoor Alltime

2001 4:56.86 WJR 6 ISTAF Berlin 31 Aug

2003 4:58.22 2 Naimette-Xhovémont 2 Sep

3000 m

Outdoor Alltime

2005 7:30.14 1 FBKG Hengelo 29 May

2006 7:28.98 1 Super GP Doha 12 May

5000 m

Outdoor Alltime

2000 13:37.3hA 3-19 NC-j Nairobi 22 Sep

2005 12:52.29 1 GGala Roma 8 Jul

2006 12:55.79 1 Bislett Oslo 2 Jun

in 2006:

1500 m

3:31.85 SB (7) 5 Gaz Saint-Denis 8 Jul

3000 m

7:28.98 PB (1) 1 Super GP Doha 12 May

7:33.62 2 Norwich Union Gateshead 11 Jun

5000 m

12:55.79 SB (5) 1 Bislett Oslo 2 Jun

In major events:

Outdoor

1500 m

WY 2001: 1h1-17 3:38.34 1-17 3:36.78

WJ 2002: 2h2-19 3:41.65 7-19 3:44.93

WC 2003: 2h3 3:41.55 7s1 3:39.84 10 3:34.39

OG 2004: 5h1 3:38.89 7s1 3:37.10 12 3:41.72

5000 m WC 2005: 1h1 13:20.36 10 13:37.10

meaty!!!

mario C wrote:

And unlike Webb, Willis doesnt race the 5000m or 10,000m (and subsequently isn't injured). That one off NCAA 5000m Willis ran wasn't anything (he literally didn't put a single extra workout in for that one), it was a run in the middle of his build-up while he was focusing on more important races later that season.

What championship golds has webb got? Who made it further at the olympics. In comparing the two as middle distance runners (which is what they are) look at it this way, who is faster over 1500m? Willis. Who is faster over 800m? Willis. Who is faster over a Mile? Webb. Who is more consistant? Willis. Who can win championship races? Willis. Who is running better right now? Willis.

Don't forget that the championship Willis won, Brannen came in 2nd. Nothing against Brannen, but he's around the level of a Lukezic. You can also make the case that Webb's made a world final, while Willis hasn't. That being said, I do think Willis is something special.

who consistently places higher in GP meets? Webb. who is actually consistently less injured - Webb. so your whole consistency argument is thrown out.

Webb is ranked in the IAAF top ten and Willis is not.

Even though I believe Webb is more talented than Willis, Webb's does crazy things that make me nervous. I knew last year was too good to be true. He ran a 3:48 mile and set an American two mile record (second fastest 2005 time). Instead of being satisfied with that Webb announces he may move up to other distances. In a Prefontaine-like bravado Webb attempted a grueling 10 duel with Rtiz. He won and baked his legs for the rest of the season.

Having genius level talent is great, but you have to know how to use it.

In short Webb has more talent, Willis has more sense.

To be running like he is now Webb really must of did a number on himself with the 10k.

Willis has yet to make a WC final. Heck, Lukezic made the indoor world championship final this yes.

It looks as if Lukezic is doing what Willis has been for the last few years. He is running excellent times at the back of the pack with the big dogs of world 1500 meter running. Lukezic could be rewarded with a 3:32 1500 someday.

Doing corn muffins wrote:

In a Prefontaine-like bravado Webb attempted a grueling 10 duel with Rtiz. He won and baked his legs for the rest of the season.

I don't think it was the 10K so much, but that he raced a lot following, without much recovery. I really doubt Webb is incapable of racing a 10K w/o it baking his season....long as he has reasonable recovery.

RW Fan wrote:

And now Willis's PR is faster than Webb's

It already was...

willis made it further at the olympic games whilewebb had a luckier draw at the world champs.

Willis just turned 23 and has already run 3:32 four times and that has come out of not very many GP races during his career. None of the championship rounds, semi's or finals at the Olympics, Worlds and Commonwealth Games were fast, all were very tactical sprint finishes.

And as for the Olympics Webb didn't even make it out of the first round while Willis missed the final by less then .10 of a second in the toughest of the two semi-finals and at the World Champs if Willis had been in Webb's semi-final heat he easily would've made the final, but again he drew the tougher heat and in a mass sprint finish again came up an eyelash short of the automatic spot.

But maybe you should watch the semi-final and finals of the 2006 Commonwealth Games where he went from 400m out to destoy the field.

And come on World Indoors???? World Indoors has like a handful of countries even represented. Comparing Willis to Chris L isn't realistic (no offense to Chris L).

Bottom line is Willis has put up the numbers at every level he's been at and always competed tough no matter who he ran against. The only time he had an off race (other then being tripped or in a plie up in a race) was when he was sick in Oslo in 2005 and shouldn't have run the race to begin with. However I think he redeemed himself for that when he beat Mottram head to head in Feb over 1 mile at Cooks Gardens in NZ.

When he was in the NCAA no one could do what he did. If anyone watched the Penn Relays he put on a clinic over a 24 hour period in three races and on two seperate occasions while running in the NCAA Championships he passed on running races that he was basically guaranteed to win in order for his teammates to run in those same races and for him to go after a bigger challenge in events outside of his specialty. In the 2004 NCAA indoor he could've walked away with the mile, but instead choose to anchor the DMR and go head to head in the 3000m against the other best runner to come out of the NCAA in this decade (Cragg)on his home track, the race was epic, two college record holders duking it out. Willis also gave up a clear title at the NCAA outdoor in the 1500m in 2005 by going after the 5000m in a race he had never even run until the Big 10 meet! He had already run 3:32 and was a class apart from anyone in the NCAA at that distance, not to mention his teammates would be in the 1500m as well.

As for world rankings, Alan Webb will drop well out of the top 10 by the end of July and Willis will be in the top 10.

Bottom line, both are great runners who have done great things, but I can tell you that Willis can match any numbers Webb puts up during his career including a 27:34 10,000m and I don't say that lightly. Last fall (when he beat Cragg, etc. to win the Manchester Road Race) and winter Willis was in shape to probably break the NZ national record for 10,000m had he gone after it. His future is in the 5000m and he knows it. But you won't see that until after 2008!

Word of advice never underestimate Willis, he will be in this sport for a long time to come.

is Baala black or white?, I just know theres a lot of algerians in france, just wondering who's the fastest white guys in the world now.

You belittle world indoors, but fawn over Willis winning The Commonwealth Games? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

FYI, most Algerians are white. And Baala was born I'm France. Also, keep in mind that Algeria was the eqivilant of a state of France (as Alaska or Hawaii is w/ the US today) for more than 130 years.

mobile9 wrote:

Also, keep in mind that Algeria was the eqivilant of a state of France (as Alaska or Hawaii is w/ the US today) for more than 130 years.

That's very debatable on so many levels. Algeria was not incorporated into the French nation in the way Alaska and Hawaii eventually were as full states. France doesn't have states, it's a unitary model of government, rather than federal.

It would be more accurate to say that Algeria was like the Philippines -- a colony of a small empire.

To be fair about all of this, Webb's mile PR converts to a 3:31 1500. It is almost erie, however how two guys that almost crossed paths at Michigan are so damn close in ability (Willis having the edge in acceleration, Webb probably edges on strength). Throw in Mottram and it's anybody's game when all three are healthy (which seems to never happen).

Also, no one compared Willis to Lukezic; it was Brannen, which is fair comparison.

It was more than a colony -- it was an integrated department. When Algeria won independence, there were more than a million French citizens that had been living in Algeria (many had lived there their whole lives) that moved to Europe.

If anything, Puerto Rico draws a similar comparison.

Webb would drop Willis in a head-butt contest.

Webb would run faster if he used Willis' tactics.

Willis has alot more in the tank.he is a very inspiriational guy and all of new zealand support him. If you yanks supported webb more i bet he will start running better, you put to much pressure on him . if willis falls he knows he has a country to pick him back up. But when webb falls you guys just leave him there to rot.

Good Job Willis you make us kiwis proud