El G was ready for this final. His semifinal was run almost the same way. His last 700m in his semifinal was 1:33, but off a slower pace. Perfect.
El G was ready for this final. His semifinal was run almost the same way. His last 700m in his semifinal was 1:33, but off a slower pace. Perfect.
nokaman wrote:
I wonder if EL G is the oldest male to win the gold? If memory serves, Seb Coe was 27 when he won in '84.
I assume you mean for the 1500? I think you're right.
I think Lopez was the oldest for his marathon win.
What an amazing race. I though Legat had him but he dug deep. Both are such class acts.
BTW, Ryun's mile record he ran 52.5 for the last quarter (as I remember it)
The BBC's statistician has EIG as running 1.46.9 for the last 800m with the following 100m slpits:
14.4
13.8
13.4
13.3
12.9
12.9
12.7
13.5
That is why he's the greatest.
Watching him run last night was watching greatness. It was the type of run that looks better and better the more you watched it. I agree with Bazza, Steve Cram did some great commentry and real summed up the feelings of most of the runners who were watching.
In my humbbel opinion there is not a better sight in running than to see El Guerrouj in full flight down the back straight, just takes your breath away
If ELG was running 12.9 between 4700-4800, Rui must have had 11.9 for that one......incredible speed.
The sprint down the finishing straight was virtually a re-run of the Zurich race. I observed at the time that El G didn’t look at all dismayed that Lagat had kept his nose in front and indeed seemed to quite relaxed almost as if he knew that in the big one, he could take him. A close up of the pair up the finishing straight shows Lagat, straining all out, his eyes bulging with the effort, whereas El G showed no such strain and was actually smiling before the finish.
Hoovis 2 wrote:
[quote]Racer1 wrote:
Having watched the race, I am not sure that El G "figured" it out. It seemed rather that the Kenyan plan failed, because El G. made sure they couldn't carry it out.
Hoovis
The Kenyan plan achieved its objective. El G had to run the first half of the race in lane 3, probably running a good deal of extra distance. He was just too good though and gave one of the greatest efforts that the sport has ever seen. Truly amazing.