3 European 17-18 year olds have run 1:44 this year...how is the US HSR still 1:46?

Runner10287 wrote:

Kobbs Hessler wrote:

Michael Granville never got any better and vanished from the running scene not long after high school.

Yeah I don’t know if Granville’s record should be the standard here if we are concerned with success long term.

Kersh, his predessor, might be a better standard bearer. He improved from 1:46.58 HSR to 1:44.00 (USOT) five years after that race at GWI. Note: Also a semi-finalist at the '96 USOT. Retired with 7 sub-1:45s.

dsrunner wrote:

The HS 800m record is not weak at all, actually to the contrary.

Granville was in a HS meet, on his own after 20m, not on the European circuit with carbon plates in his shoes.

Nearly all the current HS records were set in open competition, tucked in on older competitors.

And, that was the Friday evening qualification round, with state finals the following evening. Absolutely NO competition (runner-up ran 1:53.20).

Kersh, whose record he beat, had 3 guys at 1:49 in his wake.

fishpenis wrote:

My theory is the amount of mileage you guys run. U need more quality less quantity for the 800

No doubt quality is important BUT I don’t think too much mileage is generally the problem. Look at Jim Ryun who ran relatively high mileage and quality speed work. I guess your point might be valid if the athlete is doing much slower running at the expense of speed sessions.

jeff tallon wrote:

the two polish teenagers are about 10 seconds faster than anyone else in poland in their age group.

Not quite, there are two more sub 1:50 in Poland, and 6 sub 1:54. But they are obviously outliers as 18 year olds running sub 1:45 are in most countries.