Janat Chemusto: New Women's 1500m medal contender?

The top 3 is seriously good in Muir, Tsegay and Kipyegon. So I’d hesitate to call anyone a medal threat until you see a really top notch performance (Welteji last week got my attention). But this certainly gets you in the mix with Welteji knocking on the door.

I'm writing about her in the WTW. Can anyone explain her improvement? I mean she ran like a total pro a- up front near the rabbit and then just DESTROYED everyone over the final 400 - breaking 60 on the last lap.

Someone on twitter pointed out she actually ran 4:08.5 earlier this year but last year the 24-year old had very modest results. She was just 5th in the African champs (4:21.36 - almost 5 seconds off a medal) and 4th in the Islamic Solidarity Games (4:16.72).

I'd love to know how she’s improved so much as iit's not like she only started competing this year. She ran 9:10 for 3k way back in 2014 and 4:17.61 for 1500 in 2015 and had recorded a 1500 result every year since then save for 2019 and 2020.

Watch the last 500 here:

Explain her improvement? LOLLLLLL. I mean, duh.

You should reach out to Global Sports Communications:

monitor.co.ug

Kip Keino starts Chemusto’s long route to Budapest

In Nairobi, understandably at the high altitude at Kasarani Stadium, Chemusto’s first task is to lower her personal best time of four minutes and 15.90 which she set in Mandela Stadium in...

Link:www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/magazines/sco...

She’s in the Cheptegei group and it seems like they knew something big was coming based on Ruiters comments

Yeah the fact that the article was written prior to the race lends evidence that internally they expected massive improvement. It simply wasn't known elsewhere. I watched that race wondering who is this and what the heck is going on? I've seen Kipyegon have trouble posting 4:01 at altitude.

Former junior stars always have logic to pop up later, even if detoured. It's the Jennifer Capriati route.

I mean, if only there was something out there, some magic pill, that can turn mules into racehorses, that can take a single day classics winner and turn them into a 7 time TDF winner, that could take some nondescript teenaged runners from China and overnight turn them into worldbeaters that still hold WRs over 30 years later. If only we knew what it could be. Anyway, rant over.

all I can say is Che musto been eating her burritos!

Very suspicious progression! Reminds me of Jacobs and Farah but somehow even worse.

Lot of runners who could take drugs. Why is she the only one making the jump? Sure drugs might be part of any explanation, but it’s unlikely to be the only reason here.

I think a 2:01 800m performer can run 4:01. The data listed is incomplete. She ran a 2:01/4:08 double, which could put her near 4:00 territory. What I was impressed with was her racing aggression and savvy: she put herself immediately behind the rabbit. Once the rabbit dropped, she pounced, and then closed phenomenally well. Can't run fast if you don't give yourself the chance, tactically.

Cute. Chemusto is Ugandan. Is it ‘Presume all high-performing athletes from Africa are dopers unless a preponderance of evidence indicates otherwise’ with you? Your sad, ugly insinuation is another sorry example of why many in the running community keep LRC at arm’s length.

To be fair to astro he's pretty consistent in thinking everyone post collegiate is doping.

A broken clock is correct more than this goofball - talk about sh*t for brains. But it is his Shtick - everyone is a doper except KT.

No. High level doping requires a support system, doctors, agents, coaches. And it requires a dysfunctional or nonexistent antidoping system, which is why the doping archipelago migrates across Africa. These miraculous, late gains started when this athlete joined a pro running group that can provide everything. We are not all born yesterday.

This is a doping sport. Cannot compete internationally without it. Deal with it.

I can't wait for Tuohy to finish top 8 in a World or Olympic final to remind you of your words. I hope you will be coherent and accuse her of doping.

There're numerous athletes in that group with Addy Ruiter or in the Rosa group she was briefly a part of. She is the only Ugandan woman performing at this level. It's not just doping or Uganda would have 5 women at this level. Heck, Kenya doesn't have any top-level women 1500m runners at the moment either. So, does the doping only work on men? Or is there a thing called talent that might also contribute here?

*Presumably you meant other than the GOAT of W1500m Faith K

If she suddenly runs 14:20, speculate to your hearts content. She is in the same boat natural talentwise as Sydney is. My projection was that going full Lance Armstrong, she could run 14:05. These chemicals are that powerful. You had to be around when hardcore epo doping entered the picture, to see a big guy like Indurain suddenly flying over the mountain passes at age 27, to understand. Or go look up the Ma's army videos. They still hold the 3000m record and their 1500 record was barely exceeded. Those were teenagers with zero running pedigree.

So I go with Occam's razor when a runner suddenly becomes world class or comes out of nowhere. Do I even blame them?

Have I been wrong? Sure. But that is based on faulty information and ridiculous algorithmic projections that turn out completely flawed. I'm perfectly coherent about what I think natural running limits are and when things are too good to be real.