THOUGHTSLEADER wrote:
Emmanuel Korir even faster. Also rounding into form somewhat.
Korir is not a factor at this point. Just ran 1:46 and got third at Kenyan trials.
Murphy has the leading time this year, he's the obvious favorite right now.
THOUGHTSLEADER wrote:
Emmanuel Korir even faster. Also rounding into form somewhat.
Korir is not a factor at this point. Just ran 1:46 and got third at Kenyan trials.
Murphy has the leading time this year, he's the obvious favorite right now.
He finished top 3 ahead of numerous 1:44-1:45 guys. It was a 12-man field. The first lap was run in 54-55, so time is pretty irrelevant. The top two are prime contenders with last years bronze medalist in Rotich, and 1:43.25 man Saruni who has an excellent kick and 45-mid speed. Korir can break 45 and his 800 performances are improving.
I don't know. I hope he's in the mix in the homestretch of the final. He is a very good runner who could win on the right day.
Amos is a choker
THOUGHTSLEADER wrote:
He finished top 3 ahead of numerous 1:44-1:45 guys. It was a 12-man field. The first lap was run in 54-55, so time is pretty irrelevant. The top two are prime contenders with last years bronze medalist in Rotich, and 1:43.25 man Saruni who has an excellent kick and 45-mid speed. Korir can break 45 and his 800 performances are improving.
Saruni and Korir ran first lap in 53s and finished in 52s. Not too impressive. They might have HAD 45s speed, but it certainly is not helping them right now.
I hope Jewett makes the finals in Tokyo and runs that same suicide tactics and actually medals. That would be sweet.
41 of the 48 runners for the 800 meters at the Olympics are now known. The only outstanding entries are the 3 from Team Poland, 3 from Team GB, and 1 based on world ranking. Right now, that looks like potentially Mariano Garcia from Spain, Tshepo Tshte from South Africa, or Marc Reuther from Germany. Let's assume Team GB is Elliot Giles, Jamie Webb, and Guy Learmonth and Poland is Adam Kszczot, Mateusz Borkowski, and Patryk Dobek. Here's how I rank the most likely winners:
1. Clayton Murphy (USA) - Bronze medalist in Rio, world leading time, just won US trials.
2. Nijel Amos (Botswana) - An all time great, faster than anybody else on his best day.
3. Ferguson Rotich (Kenya) - As good a bet for a medal as anyone.
4. Amel Tuka (Bosnia) - Consistent 1:43 high man, but will others go faster?
5. Bryce Hoppel (USA) - If healthy, is a big threat and great tactically.
6. Wesley Vazquez (Puerto Rico) - Will push the pace, and capable of sub-1:44.
7. Marco Arop (Canada) - Worlds finalist in 2019, sub-1:44 man.
8. Elliott Giles (GB) - Big time talent, can he improve enough at Olympics?
9. Emmanuel Korir (Kenya) - Capable of great but really inconsistent.
10. Patryk Dobrek (Poland) - Another big time talent with inexperience.
11. Isaiah Jewett (USA) - Just coming onto the scene, but just went under 1:44 to make US team.
12. Ayanleh Souleiman (Djibouti) - Has gone under 1:44, but I don't see an 800 result since 2019.
13. Brandon McBride (Canada) - Has won Diamond League meets.
14. Adam Kszczot (Poland) - Great tactically, but best days are behind him.
15. Michael Saruni (Kenya) - Not sure he can go under 1:44.
16. Pierre-Ambrose Bosse (France) - Knows how to make finals, but another who's best days might be over.
17. Jamie Webb (GB) - Has ran under 1:45.
18. Mateusz Borkowski (Poland) - Has run under 1:45.
19. Adrian Ben (Spain) - Consistent, but not a threat to make the final.
20. Andreas Kramer (Sweden) - Has never gone under 1:45.
A couple other notes:
-Looks like Mahkloufi is entered in the 1,500 only. Algeria has entered Djamel Sejati as their only entrant, and Mahkloufi doesn't have the standard or world ranking.
-Did Australia really chose Peter Bol and Jeff Riseley over Charlie Hunter?
-The two Ethiopian guys are complete unknowns, but it doesn't look they've gone under 1:46.
Fasterer wrote:
Nigel Amos
Amos has an incredibly high ceiling but he has rarely showed anything good the past few years. Just one good diamond league race two years ago and that's it. Murphy is now the favorite, running the fastest time in the world this year in a negative split... There's a real chance the US could have all three in the final. At least one medal should happen, hopefully it's gold.
Sopa de Sabadell wrote:
THOUGHTSLEADER wrote:
He finished top 3 ahead of numerous 1:44-1:45 guys. It was a 12-man field. The first lap was run in 54-55, so time is pretty irrelevant. The top two are prime contenders with last years bronze medalist in Rotich, and 1:43.25 man Saruni who has an excellent kick and 45-mid speed. Korir can break 45 and his 800 performances are improving.
Saruni and Korir ran first lap in 53s and finished in 52s. Not too impressive. They might have HAD 45s speed, but it certainly is not helping them right now.
Incorrect. They ran 54 mid-high and closed in 51-mid. There is video you realize and you can't just spout nonsense and expect people to believe it.
Kind of hoping Amos from Botswana might get redemption or the guy from Puerto Rico, but they're not having great seasons.
I don't love Clayton Murphy so I hope not. Bryce Hoppel would be much cooler. He's too stiff and stoic and emotes so little. I hear he's a nice guy though
Given that he has already won a bronze medal, just ran 1:43.1 and has a personal best of 1:42.9 I think he has just as good a shot at the gold medal as anyone. The 800 can be very unpredictable though so we'll see.
Not so sure about this. Based on the Olympic trials race Murphy is in sub 1:43 shape. I'm not sure how much faster he can go but he definitely has a 1:42 something in him.
Wow talk about a wide open field with no clear cut favorites. Has there ever been an Olympic event with so many legitimate medal contenders? You could put together a B Final of guys who don't advance through that would be just as competitive.
Murphy has the fitness and obviously the experience.
What do coaches tell Jewett to do in one of his first ever huge (really huge in this case) international (at least at the senior level) meets)? I assume he's not going to become sit-and-wait tactical runner in the next 5 weeks. He's in fantastic race shape. I say let him do what he does and he may do really well or he might not make the final. Will be interested to see how Jewett responds if someone else takes it out fast and he has to chase, even if from just behind.
Runner10287 wrote:
Wow talk about a wide open field with no clear cut favorites. Has there ever been an Olympic event with so many legitimate medal contenders? You could put together a B Final of guys who don't advance through that would be just as competitive.
I would cap the list of medal contenders at the top 10 that I listed, and guys that can make the final probably at 16. I have Jewett at 11, and I don't quite think he can medal. Dobek can though. For gold, I don't really see anybody outside of the top 5.
Certainly more unpredictable than most Olympic races, but not entirely so.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRlWP955EDYTHOUGHTSLEADER wrote:
Sopa de Sabadell wrote:
Saruni and Korir ran first lap in 53s and finished in 52s. Not too impressive. They might have HAD 45s speed, but it certainly is not helping them right now.
Incorrect. They ran 54 mid-high and closed in 51-mid. There is video you realize and you can't just spout nonsense and expect people to believe it.
Race starts at 0:13, they cross the 400m mark at 1:06 (53s), then finish at 1:58 (52s).
D-Run wrote:
Murphy has the fitness and obviously the experience.
What do coaches tell Jewett to do in one of his first ever huge (really huge in this case) international (at least at the senior level) meets)? I assume he's not going to become sit-and-wait tactical runner in the next 5 weeks. He's in fantastic race shape. I say let him do what he does and he may do really well or he might not make the final. Will be interested to see how Jewett responds if someone else takes it out fast and he has to chase, even if from just behind.
In the 1st round heat, I think Jewett can more or less relax in the pack the first lap and then start pushing the pace at the bell. There won't be enough guys with the speed to go with him, and he'll qualify with 1 all-out 400 instead of 2. In the semifinal, I think he may have to just go balls to the wall to even qualify for the final. He'll lead his semifinal for sure from the gun. No idea what his tactics will be if he can make the final. He'll have to go out hard, but so will Vasquez if he's there, and then there are guys that can go with him and outkick him.
Let it Rupp wrote:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRlWP955EDYTHOUGHTSLEADER wrote:
Incorrect. They ran 54 mid-high and closed in 51-mid. There is video you realize and you can't just spout nonsense and expect people to believe it.
Race starts at 0:13, they cross the 400m mark at 1:06 (53s), then finish at 1:58 (52s).
Even if they did all run 54-51, Murphy just ran 51-51 which is way more impressive.
owl man wrote:
Gold medal favorite?
Yes.
Can anyone beat him?
Yes.
The 800 is not super strong at this point. If Brazier were in form he would be a clear favorite, but with him out then it's anyone's game.
Based on what Clayton just did and his championship experience he is definitely the favorite. If someone busts a 1:42 between now and Tokyo that could change but as of today Clayton would be my pick.
That being said I would not give him more than a 1 in 5 chance of winning. This is going to be one of those years where anyone of 8-12 guys could win going into the Olympics and the winner could be someone you've never heard of. No one has distanced themselves.
THOUGHTSLEADER wrote:
Sopa de Sabadell wrote:
Saruni and Korir ran first lap in 53s and finished in 52s. Not too impressive. They might have HAD 45s speed, but it certainly is not helping them right now.
Incorrect. They ran 54 mid-high and closed in 51-mid. There is video you realize and you can't just spout nonsense and expect people to believe it.
Watch that video yourself a time or two: starter gun at 0:13, Saruni and Korir pass 400m at 1:06 (53s), then finish at 1:58 (52s).
Now what Mr. THOUGHTSLEADER? I think an apology is in order.