Lopez Lomong-Best in NCAA 800 thru 5000, maybe even 10K

Check youtube for the finish of the 3000. The whole meet was on there but im not sure if its been blocked yet. He didnt go around until 150 to go and dropped a strong looking Solinksy.

and to know he will apply for U.S. citizenship this December, is great!

he is obviously a great runner but i dont understand why people keep saying he is the best at every event, he isn't. i dont think he could have won any event besides the 3k indoors this year. ryan brown beat him outdoors and i dont see why he wouldn't have beaten him indoors. do you guys really think he would have outkicked leonel manzano? he won the 3k against solinsky who was doubling back from the 5k, he may have beaten a fresh solinsky but we will never know. with cross-country he proved that he has the legs to run the distance but he didn't win any races, what makes you think he is the best in the ncaa over 5k-10k? He is a great runner and could make nationals in any mid-distance / distance event that he wants but i'm not sure he will win any event at nats this year.

ryan brown might have beaten him last year in outdoors but that was last year and this year he is a totally different animal. indoors, he was the only runner in the ncaa to break 1:48 and he did that by running 1:47 flat. the only reason he ran the 3k is because that was the most stacked of all the field's in all of the distance, mid-distance races. i think he and manzano could push each other to a nasty mile and that it would be a great race. however, he would have dominated the 800 and apparently did just that in the 3k. by the way, i still haven't found a video of the 3k and i'd really love to see it. if anyone out there has it, please hook me up or point me in the right direction.

Lomong is lucky as hell Nick Willis went pro. If that cat was still around he would definately be owning EVERYONE from the 800m-5k. Talk about finishing speed. To put Lomong into perspective remember that when Willis was 22 he had run 1.45, 3.32 and 13.33 (he could go a lot faster in the 5k if he put any focus on it). So yeah Lomong is good, but geeez get off his sack-against a really good runner he looks like a chump.

Falcon force 5,

Please remember we are talking NCAA v an Olympic athlete here. The original poster was not saying that Lopez will never run those times. Personally I think Lopez, like Manzano, is capable of running under 3.35 if he gets in the right race. Lomong is an amazing talent so what is with the bashing? I've seen Willis get beaten by collegiate athletes before. Right now I don't think Lopez would have any problem handling Willis given that the kiwi has been injured. 5km would be entirely open.

Pi.

Where did Willis place at NCAA in xc? Just curious as I really do not know.

Who's talking about XC? We're talking about a claim stating that Lomong would win at 800m-5km. What I'm saying is that the NCAA must be pretty weak this year if that is the case. Willis was just one example used to put Lomong into perspective. For the record that was a very average year for XC with many of the 'big names' dropping back at nationals.

Why don't we discuss Manzano as hes in the NCAA right now? To me he is much more of a threat across all distances than Lomong. The Manz has increadible speed and could surely go 1.46, he WILL run 3.33 this summer and given that he only run 40-50miles a week for only 10 months of the year I bet he could smack out a pretty solid 3/5k.

Lomong doesn't get me all that excited. A few years ago with the likes of Cragg running 7.38, Willis dropping 2.49 1200's, Hall and Dobson busting 13.1X, thats how I get aroused! Some guy called Lomong running 1.48-1.50, 3.41/4.05, 7.56 doesnt do a lot for me. Come back and see us when he shaves some off.

http://www.directathletics.com/athletes/track/791226.html

Pi.

it seems you have missed his most impressive performances on that chart you put a link to. this indoor season he ran 1:47 flat and 7:49 winning the ncaa 3k at nationals in only his second competitive 3k. remind you, he is only a sophomore and after placing 4th in cross country nationals and his indoor season, i think it's safe to assume he is gonna run fast outdoors this year. i know willis ran some great times but his range never allowed him a 4th place at xc nationals.

No way in hell Manzano runs 3:33 this summer, sorry man that will not happen.

No way in hell Manzano could touch Lomong in an 800m. This idiot knows nothing about Lomong yet he is trying to argue his invalid points. Keep up with the sport before you argue, joker. The NCAA meet was just a few weeks ago - chillin and kick to run a 7:49.

No it is not the 7:38 of Alistair but it was within a few seconds of the championship record. Not bad for a guuy who had never been under 4:05, 1:49 or 8:20 a year ago.

ballsonyachin wrote:

indoors, he was the only runner in the ncaa to break 1:48 and he did that by running 1:47 flat.

Alex Mclary ran 147.9 red-shirting for Arkansas.

Also, I'd like to see him run the 800 outdoors because he will not beat Ryan Brown.

Hopefully we will see. I doubt Lomong has even trained for the 800m this year. If he trained for it you never know!

what about tom lancashire from florida state? personal bests of 1:45.7 and 3:38. if he ran the 800 instead of the 1500 he would basically dominate the nation. he only ran it twice last year!! (his first race was sub 1:47) perhaps lomong is the best at those events if you compare everyone else that runs those, but you cant say he's the best at the 800 or 1500. he would need to pr huge to be comparable to manzano and lancashire. vincent rono is also a pretty strong runner in all of those events as well. i love how everyone is constantly looking for a new bandwagon to jump on as if they will have a new savior to suck off.

shaun smith also ran 1:47 in indoor as well as ORU redshirt prince mumba

So Solinsky runs a 13:38 the night before, but that doesn't have anything to do with his 7:51 against Lomong?

I would think twice before handing Lomong the title of best NCAA 3k'er. A fresh Solinsky would be a lot tougher than one recovering from a 13:38 the night before.

As for the 5k... let's see Lomong run it first this season, eh?

Why don't we figure it like this:

Lomong 4th at one of the toughest races to run well AT, NC's XC.

1:47 800

7:49 3K winning, it could have been anything, 47, 45? He was still winning if Solinsky doubles.

Sub 4 mile? I would think that's an after thought.

There is not one guy in America who runs this profile.

Now? If you want to say Solinsky gives him all he can want at 3K fresh? I am buying, not selling that, but that's about it.

Solinsky ,who is one of my favorites, barely had same XC finish when right, as the 1:47 guy? I am scratching my head trying to figure out what others argue about.

not one guy in america? really? Look fact of the matter, no way lomong would take 800 'thru' 5km. Theres people that can beat him at all of those distances and some who could match him in each event by themselves. Get off lomongs schlong....just because he was running slow a year ago does not mean he is going to be continuing that kind of improvement. Guy like him come along all the time. Shit, Brannen could take it to him at all those distances if he were still around. Manzano has speed to burn and has already run a 3.36. He doesn't train particularly hard or smart. In my opinion he could take Lomong at any distance. The Manz has proven himself in all kinds of races.

Manzano could take Lomong at any distance?! WTF? MAYBE at the mile/1500...maybe! Not at the 800m and definitely not 3k or longer. Where was Manzano at XC Nats? Pretty far behind Lomong.