Well this was exactly the race I thought it would be and feared for a true WR attempt.
The back straight off the break point was so chaotic it killed the attempt right there - too many studs wanting the same spots on the track. Hoey in particular went forwards, backwards, forwards in the space of 50m, Wanyoni just had to get out way too hard to be clear. Unfortunately his splits aren't on the race analysis they have released but they have Moula at 23.9 for his first 200 and an 11.5 back straight. So Wanyoni must have been 23.7/23.8. It just shows how hard the record is going to be to get in a race (in the sense of depth competitiveness)
Marco Arop is starting to become an enigma. He's got this "project 100" deal - but he and his coach don't even seem to have a consistent strategy to execute these races. In Paris he cost him gold by running all of the second lap in lane 2. He then came out in Lausanne and went straight to the front with the pacer (which then involved that bizarre passing move) and then let Wanyonyi through on the inside. Then today he goes out in 25.6 way back and has to navigate the entire field. I don't get it.
Good run from Hoey - I said 1.41.8 - just off, but considering the opening 200 that was an awesome effort.