Robby Andrews ran a horrible final

How is everyone ignoring the fact that Wheating ran a 3:45 1500 yesterday? He ran a 1:49 on Wednesday, a 3:45 on Thursday and then was racing on Friday. And some here think Andrews was at a disadvantage because he ran so fast on Wednesday. This poster disagrees.

Great run by Wheating, unbeatable by Andrews today who seems to only think he is capable of running a sit and kick race. I will be curious to see how he will grow as a tactician and hopefully develop other strategies of racing.

Every one of the 4 splits Andrews ran today was slower than the equivalent for Wednesday. He simply didn't have enough. Remember, he's a 19-year-old freshman and 2 days ago ran a time that almost put him on the IAAF Junior all-time list. I doubt that Sebastian Coe at the same age would have done as well.

Now, we'll see what that 1:45 takes out of Wheating for tomorrow.

no offense, but even a tired Wheating can trounce that 1500 field, its not that strong.

I guess that other guy from Oregon who ran 3:36 last year and also outkicked Wheating last year is weak. I think Centro if in good enough shape can beat Wheating.

Andrews had broken 1:48 one time before regionals. Then in less than a week he goes 1:46 and 1:45. He was just maxed out by the time the final went around. (Although I do agree with the poster who said the 800 at higher levels is a roll of the dice, Wheating was the class of the field but certainly no lock.)

Congratulations to Andrew Wheating. He ran a great race to beat the phenom.

I'm glad Wheating won. This marks the last year Wheating will ever be able to say he beat Andrews. He should refer to the 2010 coaching openings thread.

You're all acting like children. Congrats to Wheating for winniing. He ran well. Maybe Bobby could have ran faster but they both ran their races. They always come fomr behind and they finshed 1 & 2. They balled out and they are probably two of the best atheltes in the NCAA this year. Congrats to them both. They both ran AMAZING

Oops said: You're all acting like children. Congrats to Wheating for winniing. He ran well. Maybe Bobby could have ran faster but they both ran their races. They always come fomr behind and they finshed 1 & 2. They balled out and they are probably two of the best atheltes in the NCAA this year. Congrats to them both. They both ran AMAZING

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Ditto. Great race. My take is that Andrews paid a big price for his youth and his inexperience. Even though he chose to run only one event, he just doesn't have the race experience and strength that Andy Wheating has. I think that Andrews did remarkably well holding up through his conference meet and then having to race in the ridiculous Regional mess. He probably made a fairly big mistake by running his semi at the time he chose to. He did not have to WIN that race, he could have finished in second, saving some marginal strength for the final. When he actually got to the final, he found himself up against one of the great collegiate middle distance guys in the last 20 years, and he did pretty damn well, beating the rest of the field. No shame in that. People forget that when Andews beat Wheating the two times before, it wasn't on a really level playing field (Wheating was just starting his season the first race, and the second was relay event). This time, the playing field was as level as its going to get (Wheating had to race 1500 the day before, while Andrews rested, but Andrews had to run in a faster 800 heat). Andrews will get stronger and he will hopefully learn more race tactics.

lakers wrote:

how the hell is 2nd place to an olympian at ncaa's for a freshman horrible?

It wasn't even horrible tactically. Andrews did what has worked for him every other time in races that ran the gamut from 1:45 to 1:48, including races that Wheating was in. Wheating just ran a smart race by moving up after the 600 and got that little cushion he needed with 100 to go ... and ran a faster last 100 than Andrews. My guess is Andrews just didn't have it in the legs in this race and couldn't stay close enough when Wheating moved up with 200 left.

It is not common in a 1:45 race to see a last 200 in 26 after a 3rd 200 in 27. Andrews did it in the semifinal. If I could have changed my contest picks after that, I would have (I ended up nailing the top 3 perfectly as it was, although most of my other event picks have sucked). But Wheating had an even faster finish in his 1:45 final. Based on the season up through the semifinals, I didn't see that coming and would have changed my pick to Andrews FTW if I could have. But apparently Wheating either 1) is still on the way up in preparation for summer meets, 2) cared a lot more about this race and put more focus into it than indoor nationals or Penn Relays and/or 3) is more mature and can keep getting better after 6 months of racing instead of wearing down as much as a freshman does. Or Andrews had an off day right when Wheating nailed it. It happens. But it wasn't a "horrible" race.

Oops wrote:

You're all acting like children. Congrats to Wheating for winniing. He ran well. Maybe Bobby could have ran faster but they both ran their races. They always come fomr behind and they finshed 1 & 2. They balled out and they are probably two of the best atheltes in the NCAA this year. Congrats to them both. They both ran AMAZING

Hear hear! Both these young guys ran wonderful races, and both have spectacular futures ahead of them. As a college coach, I can say how amazed I am that Andrews held it together as well and as long as he did. Look what happened to the other super frosh, Loxsom.

It was Wheating's physical maturity that won out, being able to come back from a 1,500 the day before to win so masterfuly.

A bunch of know-nothings brutalizing athletes (and not just these two) who work harder than those posters can fathom is both infantile and bad for the sport. Some slow loser sitting at a computer bad-mouthing his betters is beyond pathetic. Commenting on tactics (and both Wheating and Andrews were fine in that area today) is one thing, but attacking young people who put it all on the line in the Hayward pressure cooker is just sad. Maybe you should give the running at the mouth a rest and go train.

I am curious to know if you think Nick Symmonds was a f***ing moron at the trials a couple years ago? Ironically, he beat Wheating in that race.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. How did this ignorant post get through to the light of day without anyone exposing it?J.R. if you are not drunk or trolling then I think that you should give up T&F and become a hockey fan.This has got to be the most ridiculus post I've seen in a long, long time. And that includes all the NRR threads as well.9.5/10

J.R. wrote:

As far as I'm concerned, Andrews came out on top.

He ran 3 seconds faster than Wheating in the semis, and was within 1 second today.

Based on semis times, Wheating should not even have been in the final. There was a 1:46 guy who didn't make the final, and Wheating got in barely breaking 1:49.

Jefe - Do you read Let's Run? He's obviously mocking the relentless "descending order" fans

That race came to my mind too. That was a case Symmonds really did box himself inside and was close to panic mode for a brief few seconds of that race.

Coach K wrote:

I am curious to know if you think Nick Symmonds was a f***ing moron at the trials a couple years ago? Ironically, he beat Wheating in that race.

I think Andrews was a little tuckered out from his excellent 1:45 in the heats- which doesn't imply anything serious other than he's a 19 year old freshman who will gain strength as he accumulates training.

I'm glad Wheating won, since he is a senior and it was his last chance. Likewise, I'm glad next year, Andrews as something to gun for. Wheating's victory today speaks to (in this humble opinion) the importance of experience, accumulated training, and age. I don't mean that as a slight at Wheating at all- just that when Andrews has another couple years of consistent training under his belt, he'll be able to come back from the rounds stronger than he did today.

Wheating ran phenomenal today. Andrews has proven time and time again he's a real talent, and if he can stay consistent and motivated, he's got a chance to do some truly special things. Best of luck to the both of them!

There is also the issue of winning when it matters. I think this year in an NCAA final Wheating wins a good 9 out of 10. A larger issue here is that Wheating likely managed his training better over the course of the season than Andrews to peak at the right time. Plus he's just a physically more mature runner. Because people are right about Wheating having to double back in races throughout the year. If Andrews does that no way does he beat Wheating.

Rhodio wrote:

No way Wheating wins this 10 out of 10. The 800 at high levels like this is basically a throw of the dice, and while Wheating was better today he doesn't win every time. If the positions were reversed, or someone else made a move at the same time he did (like at Penn), the result might change. I'd say he wins probably 6.5 out of 10. Still, great results/season for both of them and I think this bodes well for the US in middle distance events in the future.

I guess four other guys who have run 3:37 or better is a pretty weak field.

Note sarcasm.

rojo wrote:

Please don't tell me that Andrews time on Wed. was faster than Wheating's was today. Yes it was but only marginally.

Well you already know it was 3.26 seconds faster, a huge PR for Andrews in 1:45.54, compared to a very relaxed 1:48.80 for Wheating. A 3:45 (4:03 mile) in between does not remotely compare to a 1:45 huge PR.

Andrews said on the interview that his legs were still heavy from the semis. Wheating's legs were hardly heavy from a 1:49 and a 4:03 mile. That he ran the semis in rain only served to keep him cooled down and recover more quickly. There was nothing particularly difficult about running 1:49 in the rain. Had he run 1:45 then that would have been different. As someone mentioned, there is no way that 3 guys who ran 1:46 should have been left out of the final and an almost 1:49 guy put into it. Nike might as well have kept him out of the semis altogether.

There is no denying that the difference in qualifying times made a big difference in the final.