Finally we can put this "they should move up to XXX distance and conquer the world" BS to bed.
Anyone on LRC over 10 years ago remembers the Jeremy Wariner talk where people speculated he could run 1:39 b/c he was faster than the pro 800 field over 400. Basically any fast white 400 runner gets talked about in this way.
The logic confounds me. Surely Usain Bolt should move to the 400 since he's the fastest at 200? And then as fastest at 400, he would clearly be the fastest at 800. And as the fastest at 800, he would be the best miler in the world ... Usain Bolt to break the marathon WR!
She will debut at like 2:05 and by season end I would deem success as breaking 2.
Or you could just chill out and leave the guy alone. Your obsession with him is much stranger than anything he posts.
You have to admit that something ain’t right with TMADDD. Being a fan of these women is fine but for a middle aged man to gush over a college woman, the way he did with Parker Valby, just seems odd. In the Parker Valby thread that is up now about her “dislikes,” someone mentioned that Valby was concerned about her safety when she was at Florida due to comments he made. Women don’t take those comments as compliments. They view them as creepy obsession.
I’m a big Femke fan and this is so good for the sport.
However, I’m not as optimistic as most of you that she’ll suddenly be the best im the world.
Can’t you all remember we were trying to work out who would win a 600m race between Keely and her? And it was about 50:50. But we didn’t suggest that Femke could take Keely at the 800m
No it’s not rocket science. But have we forgotten how she crumbled at the Olympics under pressure? (And it was sad to see). She’s used to winning by miles. How will she feel when she’s half way through the pack. As there’s quite a few that can now run 1.55 and many more at 1.56.
Pacing an 800 comes within split seconds. Keely’s been doing this since she was about 15. Now she blew up recently but was coming back from injury. A top form Keely knows exactly what pace she needs to go through the first 400 in. Can we see Femke nailing that pacing to a split second? Not getting flustered when many are ahead and she’s losing. Something she’s not used to.
She has raw talent and the most beautiful form. Her sprint finish over 400m looks effortless. I’m excited to see how this translates in to the 800m. But I don’t think it will be as easy for her as some of you are suggesting.
20% of people answered the poll on the homepage saying they think she will set a WR. Are people high or just being fanboys?
georgia bell just broke 1:55 and got world championships silver. 31 year old georgia bell, who hadn't been close to breaking 2 minutes (or 4 minutes) until last year.
modern bouncy shoes (for training as well as the spike), bicarb, wavelight, multiple 1:54 runners to compete with, 50.95 for 400 hurdles, low 49 for 400, slim build for a world class sprinter, dutch proven at developing middle distance athletes, only in her mid-twenties with no significant injuries hampering training.
One of her training partners and relay member Eveline Saalberg did the same this season, moving up to the 800m with a 51.4 in the 400m. She ended up running a 2:02.9. Femke is obviously both faster and stronger, but shows that her coach knows how to transition from 400m to the 800m quite well. Will be interesting to see, I think she can run 1:55-1:56 her first season.
I don't think any Femke fan seriously thinks she's suddenly going to run 1:55 in her first year at all. Clearly with 2026 being an off season, theyre treating this as a transition year, building up to LA.
I imagine in year 1 they will want to break 2 mins. I think she will do this. Consider team mate Saalberg ran 2:02 still focusing on Q at 400m, and she's a high 51 athlete as best. Femke is faster and will be focusing on the 800m, not using it to improve her 400.
With two winters of training and a summer season behind, 2027 will see big improvements.
Note, there is no way they would have announced it like that unless they are confident she can run the event fast. They will have done some training tests already..
Re hurdlers moving to 800, I have already mentioned Heike Meissner 54.0 > 1:59 and Linda Kisabaka, 56 > 1:58. Let's also not forget 400m runner Jearl Miles, 49.4 > 1:56.
One of her training partners and relay member Eveline Saalberg did the same this season, moving up to the 800m with a 51.4 in the 400m. She ended up running a 2:02.9. Femke is obviously both faster and stronger, but shows that her coach knows how to transition from 400m to the 800m quite well. Will be interesting to see, I think she can run 1:55-1:56 her first season.
Strictly speaking Saalberg didn't switch to the 800. Meuwly said it was a plan to improve her endurance at the end of the 400 and the aim was still to Q for that in Tokyo which she did.
20% of people answered the poll on the homepage saying they think she will set a WR. Are people high or just being fanboys?
Not either or, you know. Definitely both.
And usually from the same culprits who made thousands of posts that she was going to challenge and beat SML in the 400H that we were inundated with for years, leading up to the 400H final in Paris.
Finally we can put this "they should move up to XXX distance and conquer the world" BS to bed.
Anyone on LRC over 10 years ago remembers the Jeremy Wariner talk where people speculated he could run 1:39 b/c he was faster than the pro 800 field over 400. Basically any fast white 400 runner gets talked about in this way.
The logic confounds me. Surely Usain Bolt should move to the 400 since he's the fastest at 200? And then as fastest at 400, he would clearly be the fastest at 800. And as the fastest at 800, he would be the best miler in the world ... Usain Bolt to break the marathon WR!
She will debut at like 2:05 and by season end I would deem success as breaking 2.
Bolt's coach always said he would have been a great 400m runner and it may have been his best event
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.