Centro will be ready. 3:34 is not that bad

mark b wrote:

Agree - and a championship race with no pace makers is a different thing entirely to a Diamond League affair. A fast time in a paced race merely shows that the athlete is in very good shape; it does not show the ability to run well in a competitive championship race. This is proven at every Worlds and Olympics. You see athletes who haven't a clue what to do when the pace slows after the initial rush over the first hundred metres or so in a 1500.

One problem with this, Kenya will have 4 potentially in the final. So they can either have a pacemaker or block everyone out. Allowing countries to have 4 entrants in distance events this benefits only Kenya and Ethiopia.

With The Oregon project being watched closely by doping authorities, Rupp and Centro et al are no longer at their "best." Even with former Jama Aden pet mak daddy and Kiprop non factors Centro can not medal. A couple other doped Kenyans and maybe a doped North African will fill the podium.

Salvatore Wankstain wrote:

Honestly I don't think so. I understand the idea of rounding into form but both Centro (and I'll throw Willis in there too) looked again super average tonight. It is one thing to look run 3.34 looking strong and like you are rounding into shape - it's another to run 3.34 looking bad and relying on the annually fastest track and race on the planet to get you there.

The africans won let Centro pull off what he did in Rio again. They just showed their hand, out fast and kick. Centro just does have that top end speed even when he is at his fittest. The guys yesterday showed a lot of speed down the home straight at sub 3:30 pace. Centro shows it at 3:40-50 pace, its a big difference is racing speed in which he is just not equipped .

Centro has medaled before or been just barely fourth three times or so in 3:34-36 time races. He had time off after the 3:33 and so isn't yet at full strength but he just isn't that far off, and Salazar knows that the key to the kick is being close to the front when it starts. Centro didn't luck out last year. He controlled that race and everyone else let him without challenging him until Souleiman came in and he refused to give up the lead. With Cheruiyot, Manangoi, and Kwemoi running so well the past month (Kwemoi I am assuming will be healthy for World's after limping yesterday) that none of them can be expected to serve as pacing fodder to get the fast pace to knock out the kickers. Cheruiyot would have been the prime candidate but not any more; he is too good for that. Willis, Centro, Ingebrigtsen, Andrews, Gregorek, and Ethiopians won't set a fast pace. Someone with a sense of 'honor'--that is, Brits or Aussies would be the most likely candidates that I can think of to take over if the pace is as slow as at the Olympics, and that would lead to mid 3:30s at best. I wouldn't be surprised by a race in the 3:40s. Centro's got a shot. Manangoi and Cheruiyot, as well as Kwemoi and a fit Kiprop, can all kick. But which will be in position to kick AND willing to medal with no fear of drug testing? Also, what will the Kenyan training camp deal be this year?

critic 100 wrote:

Centro ran a 4:07 mile at the Olys. All luck (right place at the right time)... if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck. quacks like a duck... do the math.

He will never win a legitimate race again.

Lol

The Kenyans can't run 3:28 after rounds, so it will be a 3:33 race at best, more likely 3:36-3:40. In that situation, Centro and Willis have a better shot than anyone else, as they have the experience, which is more important than raw fitness or raw speed in a tactical affair.

It's like how Mo couldn't possibly beat guys with PRs 10 seconds faster...then he did, over and over.

The two men who were well ahead of the field yesterday in Monaco haven't proven that they can do rounds. Whole different animal.

Do you really think there will ever be another situation allowing a pedestrian pace to win such a big race?

critic 100 wrote:

Do you really think there will ever be another situation allowing a pedestrian pace to win such a big race?

There will probably be one in a few weeks.

critic 100 wrote:

Do you really think there will ever be another situation allowing a pedestrian pace to win such a big race?

Common sense says they won't, but the 5000/10000 guys have been letting Mo get away with the same race strategy for 10 years, maybe the 1500 guys are just as dumb.

Mad clown disease wrote:

Lebensborn wrote:

Just seems that Centro and the Clown makeup queen Robbery are each missing something this year that they had in the past

Rowbury is sucking this year. Has been a disappointment for a fan like me.

Rowbury ran 8:33 - that hardly "sucks". In fact, it was the 8th best American performance of all time.

The problem for Shannon is that even if she runs the race of her life in London she has almost zero chance of a medal.

8:25.83 Mary Slaney Roma 07.09.1985

8:29.58 Jennifer Simpson Bruxelles 05.09.2014

8:29.69 Mary Slaney Köln 25.08.1985

8:29.71 Mary Slaney Oslo 07.07.1982

8:29.93 Shannon Rowbury Bruxelles 05.09.2014

8:31.38 Shannon Rowbury Monaco 22.07.2010

8:32.91 Mary Slaney London 20.07.1985

8:33.38 Shannon Rowbury Monaco 21.07.2017

8:34.43 Shannon Rowbury Stockholm 22.08.2013

8:34.43 Jennifer Simpson Zürich 03.09.2015

WC predictor wrote:

critic 100 wrote:

Do you really think there will ever be another situation allowing a pedestrian pace to win such a big race?

There will probably be one in a few weeks.

+1