Karsten says he can be competitive with Jakob in the 800m in this interview recently.

Opposite on your opposite.

A lot of 400/400h guys can move up and go 1:45 right off the bat. Only a few actually do because there's little incentive.

No 1500+ guys can. There is miles of daylight between 1:45 and 1:48. Not even in the same league.

Most don't try the 800 because why run 2 laps when you're good at 1. When many of them do something other than their primary event, they typically run an open 4. They'll also hop into 4x4s. And what athlete would actually double 2 really difficult events and do 400h and 800 in a meet? As someone who has trained for both, the last 200 of an 800 feels like the last 75 of a 400h. You rely on your strength to hold form and carry you through. I think Jakob wins the 800 but I think something like 600 or 700 would be a really good race. My money is Karsten in the 6

800 isn't as much of a "distance" event as some on here like to think it is. The 800 is a difficult event because it bridges between both sprints and distance. A strong 400 runner can run a really good 8 because of their speed, not their endurance. The opening 400 is a jog to them. They cruise through 600 and then hope the pace felt slow enough that they can power through the last 200.

Some of you might be too young to remember all the Jeremy Wariner "what could he run in the 800" threads. An 800 to a 400 runner is like a 1500 to an 800 runner. 1500 runners moving down feel like it is a sprint. 400 runners moving up feel it as a distance event

Warholm running 1:45.9 (5 seconds off the WR) would be like prime Rudisha running 3:36 (10 seconds off the WR)

While it didn't happen, I don't think too many people would have been shocked if it did.

I think the could run 1:48 atleast now, given a competitive and well paced race. With a few months of training I think he could compete with Jakob.

Posters from USA are biased since they live in the country with by far the biggest talent pool for 400, 400h. (around 200 sub 47 every year, Jamaica has around 40, European countries 10-20). Meanwhile the middle distance talent pool is not so good.

There are so many elite and sub elite 400/400h guy in the country that among all of those you will find many examples of 400 guys doing well in the 800 but in proportion it's still a low %. You remember the guys who did well and not vast majority who failed or never tried because they had no chance.

And those who can run 1:45 without ANY 800 training are not common at all. Otherwise you would see a lot of guy stuck at 45/46 in the 400 move up, run 1:45 right away and 1:42/1:43 after a year or 2. There are only a few example of this.

Only thing we agree on is that the 400 runners successfull in the transition usually have a bigger potential in the 800 than a 1500 guy moving down. So they are less likely to be good in the 800 but when they are, they are more likely to be very very good if that's clear.

Most of the 46 400 guys could run a 149 800 with minimal training. I know plenty of 47/48 guys who ran post college and their first 800 was a 153. After a few months they were 151. If they had 400h strength I would give them a better prediction. And if they were 45/46 guys I would say even faster too

You are wrong. So much for the self-proclaimed expert.

well, 1:49 with a bit of specific training is very different from 1:45 without any. That might be closer to reality. I woudn't agree that it is the majority but a lot yes, probably. Does that make Warholm a 1:45 guy without any specific 800 training ? I don't think so.

Actually we think the exact same thing as I said in page 1, the fair race would be 650-700m.

". My money is Karsten in the 6"

Duhhhhh! Don't go out on a limb or anything.

Geez.... of course he wins the 600 with ease. 700 close. If they race next week Jakob wins the 8, but give Karsten 2 months of specific training and I'll take him.

One thing we know for sure is that Jacob is not a 145 guy without specific 800 training.

Yes, hey "AL", how many Runners have been the best in the world in 5,000 and also the best in the world at 800? None. So.... I guess that is even a bigger rarity.

[ fyi- Jakob is the best in the world at 5,000]

Said Aouita probably at best in the 800 at one point in 1988 ahead of the Olympics, going in undefeated and with a win over Cruz. And he was obviously best in the 5000 at another point.

Ha you got me ! you caught me napping. good call

No, 800 1:46 is a lot different from 1:46 at the end of a 1500. 800s are almost always run positive split while 1500s almost always negative split. 1500 runners have a real hard time with positive splitting. It's easier for them to run 1:46 at the end of a 1500 negative splitting than it is for them to run the same time positive splitting.

What about a guy stuck at 45/46 not at 400m but at 400m hurdles? that's who we're talking about here.

Can this race happen pls? At the end of the season, when both of them have a free weekend

I'd give Jakob like a 1:45 low and Warholm a 1:51 high.

There’s no reason for Warholm to train seriously for the 800 to attempt to break 1:46. People on here speaking on behalf of 400m athletes switching over , only if they have the endurance. I remember when Jeremy Wariner’s career was fading he ran 1 or 2 800 races and he couldn’t break 1:50. Clearly it’s not so simple. They can try and do a 600 but I am confident Karsten will crush Jakob unless he’s got some hidden speed the public doesn’t know about.