Looking back at what I wrote previously, it admit it was a bit strong.
I have always had my suspicions about Amos since 2012. Not only did he improve by 7 secs in a season to 1:41, but I read various sources claiming he was not 18. Apparently his agent said he was 5 years older. Of course I don't have concrete evidence of this, so 'almost certainly' is a slight exaggeration.
In addition, it has been reported by Botswana newspapers that Amos avoided 2 drug tests in 2015, when he knew in advance (a la Kiprop) of the testers' arrival. Not only does this illustrate complicit behaviour to avoid a test, it also underlines that there is corruption in Botswana. I have linked these 2 articles previously in this thread.
Amos has been erratic to say the least in the intervening years, and has performed well below par at several championships. While the above information does not prove age cheating or drug taking, it does incline my mind at least, into thinking it is highly likely he is using PEDs.
With regards to Grice not beating a peak Ovett, it would appear that you were not following the sport in the late 70's/early 80's?
If you were, then you would know that Ovett was primarily a racer who did enough to win, which he did with ease; including an unbeaten run of 45 races over 1500m/1mile between 1977 and 1980. You would know that in most of his 'fast' runs or world records over those distances, he was invariably in front with 400 - 600m to go. (e.g 3:48.4 Mile WR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwQ_QrZaTncor 3:30.77 1500m WR -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL_WektvHo4&t=66s),
not chasing and drafting off 2 or 3 runners of sub 3:30 ability in front. The pacing for many of these fast races was pretty dreadful compared to what they lay on in practically every Diamond League race these days.
You would also know how he waved and smiled in the home straight, clearly finding it ridiculously easy, as he missed the WR with 3:32.09.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwHSoE6fE44You would know Ovett ran at least 13 times sub 3:33 or sub 3:51, compared to Grice only running under 3:33.5 once.
Ovett was an Olympic Champion over 800m, and was capable of much faster than his 1:44.09 pb. Grice doesn't have that speed.
Ovett was the 2 mile WR holder, Commonwealth 5000m champion and 4th in the UK National X Country Championships over 15,000m. Grice doesn't have this sort of endurance.
It is obvious to anyone who has followed the sport closely since 1980 that Ovett was capable, given economical pacing to the bell and some competition on the last lap, of at least 3:29 low on the synthetic tracks of the day. It is also obvious that the newest, state of the art Mondo tracks, especially those tuned to the top end of the spectrum for energy returns, is at least 1 sec faster over 1500m. The idea that tracks have not improved since 1980 is absurd.
When Ovett ran his 3:30 in Rieti, it was very windy, he was alone for the last 500m and he was certainly past his best. Yes, there were some fast times run in Rieti, but they were generally produced by individuals, who took advantag eof the low key atmosphere, great weather (generally!) and the fact the meeting came late in the season, just after a Champs when athletes had been at a season peak. Monaco, on the other hand, produces fast times for the majority of athletes competing there. If you take a look at the fastest races over 1500m in any 1 season over the last 10 years, you will see that most were set in Monaco. The 2 tracks do not compare in the sheer volume of fast times set in the middle distances.
Take a peak Ovett from 79-81 and put him on the Monaco track last week in the same race, he would certainly have beaten Grice, would certainly have run below 3:30 and would likely have beaten Cheruiyot.
When Grice runs several sub 3:32's and 3:50's for several seasons, not just the solitary one a year at Monaco, and when he has shown the ability to win races in a variety of ways and at a variety of paces, then I will consider again whether or not he could have beaten a peak Ovett from 40 years ago.