16-year old Kenyan goes out in 48.32 for 800, holds on and (barely) wins World Youth Gold

Think we are kind of going around the fact that Kenyans train to go out hard from the start and hope to get to the finish first. If they can't do it they just hit that wall dramatically and slow down. This happens in more than just this event.

Octa wrote:

Of course it is easier to fake age in countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia but don't you think if it was widespread, then the seniors could not reproduce the results of the junior level at world stage? That is certainly not the case for countries like Kenya and Ethiopia; seniors dominate the same race events as the juniors do!

But with what times? You somewhat forgot that non-doping times in the 800/1500 m are not faster than 30 years ago. (As we could see it very nicely after the introduction of better anti-EPO tests in 2006.)

I don't wonder the frustration of young athletes, who must compete against these cheating, EPO-loaded "genetic marvels". Ethiopia and Kenya became an utter disgrace for the whole track and field. They are the present-day equivalent of GDR.

BTW, the fact that until 1995 (the advance of EPO), no Kenyan has been able to break 3:32 in the 1500 m, is very telling.

And then you read such an insane bullsh*t from Mr. Ein(s)tine like "Stunned, Saltin estimated that in this one tiny area of the Rift Valley there were at least five hundred school boys who could best his national champions at 2,000 meters."

Go figure! LOL

prefan wrote:

Dear Athletics Weekly: Yes, he did fade, he faded like crazy. But he still somehow won. Don't confuse winning with not fading. His strategy worked, he won, but he most certainly faded.

No shit, huh? Christ, this just shows how low on the totem pole of fan interest running is. You could never get away with being such a stone cold ignoramus and be a writer covering almost any other sport. And Athletics Weekly is hardly the only entity that twats things up.

Scandinavian Fellow wrote:The brilliant cross country skiier Bjørn Dæhli (most winning winter olympican) used to start his races way to hard and 'meet the wall' near the end of his races. People told him his start was too fast, his reply:

"My start isn't too fast, its my finish thats too slow!"

I like that!

This "kid" needs to teach Rudisha how to go out in 21/45 lol.

Homie looks good for 1:43 with the right pace. Wonder if he'll show up in the circuit this year.

Aman was 1:43 at "17", and is now only a second faster (but obviously winning). Timothy Kitum and Amos similar deal. With the cutthroat in-house rivalry to make national teams in Kenya and Ethiopia, being overrage, whether intentionally or not, can have a huge benefit in getting exposure/$$$. Simple Machiavellian strategy, an alternative to running for gulf oil states.

ventolin^3 wrote:

coe never went out in 48.6 in his life !!!

49.7 was his fastest, unless you count the 45.35 in the 1977 World Cup 400m final.

GYM wrote:But a young Coe certainly did go out in sub-50!

aged 21y & in 49.32

[/quote]

I bow to your superior fact checking.

Randy Oldman wrote:49.7 was his fastest, unless you count the 45.35 in the 1977 World Cup 400m final.

what on earth are you drivelling about ???

Here is a video of the race.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W46lXS32wmo