Down goes Rudisha: Nijel Amos kicks past Rudisha to win Commonwealth Gold in 1:45.18

So our Coach (Jean Verster) agreed to write something about Nijel and Andre, their preparation, his training methods, etc.. I've always appreciated what Coach Canova posts about his athletes so I asked him and he agreed. I just hope this can be a bit as insightful as Canova's posts. I'll probably post it as soon as he writes it, maybe Monday at the latest. If you have any specific question fire away and I'll ask him to write about it...

How many repeat men's Olympic gold medalists have there been at 800m since 1896? Three. D Lowe (1924, 1928), M Whitfield (1948, 1952) and P Snell (1960, 1964). It's a very difficult race to maintain long term dominance.

Credit to Seb Coe as he was the silver medallist in 80 and 84.

Zuma wrote:

So our Coach (Jean Verster) agreed to write something about Nijel and Andre, their preparation, his training methods, etc.. I've always appreciated what Coach Canova posts about his athletes so I asked him and he agreed. I just hope this can be a bit as insightful as Canova's posts. I'll probably post it as soon as he writes it, maybe Monday at the latest. If you have any specific question fire away and I'll ask him to write about it...

That would be great. I have a few questions, or things I hope he will write about:

1) Intensity, are they doing lactate tests at hard workouts or just going by feel?

2) Are they careful with hard workouts troughout the year, to avoid 'overloading the central nerve system' or whatever people keep saying in here?

3) Thoughts about weight training/plyometric - heavy/light? All year?

4) How much sprint training do they do? Like, 60meters etc. Or is it more speed endurance?

5) Aerobcially training in fall, winter and summer?

Thanks in advance if youre able to get in any of these.

People are getting carried away calling Amos goat because he beat Rudisha who is just now coming back from injury and did not have the off season training regime he normally has.

Also remember that Amos was beaten by Asbel Kiprop in the 800m just a few weeks back. How can someone be considered a possible goat if he loses to a miler ?

Lets wait for 2015. Rudisha will hopefully be in running shape. Amos, Symonds and Aman as well. Timothy Kitum is making a comeback. Kaki is also making a comeback after years of disagreement with Sudanese authorities. And new kids on the block like 18 year of Robert Biwott and Pierre Ambrose.

2015 will be interesting.

I can't wait to read this. The 800 is my favorite event- all aspects- racing it, watching it, training for it, coaching it.

I'd love to see what he has to say.

Did there ever come something out of this?

lol lol lol lol wrote:

Splits? Last 400-200-100?

I got the following 100m splits for Amos in the final: -

100m ~ 12.4

200m ~ 24.8

300m ~ 38.4

400m ~ 52.9

500m ~ 1:06.6

600m ~ 1:19.9

700m ~ 1:32.7

800m ~ 1:45.18

That gives negative splits of 52.9, 52.2

Or 200 splits of - 24.8, 28.1!! 27.0, 25.2

Last 100m was 12.4. Which is very quick in a 1:45.

Can we ever get that Jean Verster post, Zuma?

Great thread. Can't wait to re read after Rio.