Matt Centro II is just as fast as Gregson

Centro ran 8:41.5, converts to an 8:03-04, so it is a little slower, but that isn't really important. I say, instead of Gregson not being "that much of a big deal", why not Centro and Gregson are both very big deals? I mean, they're both among the fastest Preps in their respective countries' histories (in Gregson's case, the fastest). What is not such a big deal about that? Thats awesome for both of them.

So a small handful of Kenyans have run faster at the same age, I bet if Centro and Gregson races Kenyans in their same age groups, they would still beat a fair number of them. Not all, for sure, but a lot.

And I would daresay a lot of people should care if it was Mottram's record. Mottram medalled in the 5k at WCs. That is no small feat. If Gresgon is on a slightly faster curve than Mottram, he may just end up being faster than Mottram at his peak too. 12:55 is still a pretty big deal.

Gregson who?

centro definitely cannot run a 48 second quarter. Gregson is the bigger talent my friends.

you are comparing apples to oranges.

these guys aren't even in the same camp.

gregson is clearly more talented than centro. ryan gregson is a lean beast and is a very undeveloped HS runner, as lukezic was, but with much faster natural speed - 48 point in the open 400 is incredible. centro was a good high school runner, but he doesn't belong in the same camp as webb, ritzenhein, hall or someone like gregson.

at the national high school championships, gregson closed the last lap of the 1500 in 54.

"In November Gregson, who has just completed his HSC at Illawarra Sports High School, south of Sydney, set Australian under-18 records for 1500m (3min43.84sec), 3000m (8min01.34sec) and 5000m (14min14.35sec)."

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22914719-2722,00.html

did steve cram ever write about centro? exactly my point.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/12/18/gregson_sets_the_pace_in_pursu.html

"So a small handful of Kenyans"

-bah hahahahahaha!

One question I had was about the Australian Track system. Don't some of these guys belong to club teams like in Europe?

I think that is a little different than going to just whatever coach is at your high school like 99.9 percent of US runners are doing.

If Gregson is being coached by essentially a professional coach I'm certainly not as impressed as I would be if he were running for his high school coach.

Regardless, he's a stud. But if Centro was running for Salazar in high school, who's to say he wouldn't have run faster.

Another factor is meet schedule. American high schoolers tend to follow a schedule based on their high schools league and state meets. That can be pretty inconvenient when you are constantly called on to score points for your high school team.

Is it the same in Australia?

Your apples and oranges arguement doesn't fit here.

Comparing two male 17-18 year old caucasians from developed countries in their running ability/times is a fair comparison. Just because one is faster than the other doesn't mean you can bash out your favourite apples and oranges quote.

Do you even know what that quote means?

[quote]comparing wrote:

you are comparing apples to oranges.

these guys aren't even in the same camp.

Gregson is coached by Mottrams coach, he was also 5th at the World youth champs.

xudemaaann wrote:

Gregson is coached by Mottrams coach, he was also 5th at the World youth champs.

So does he follow a high school racing schedule or is more or less on a catered racing schedule?

I may be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure Centro's dad coaches him, or at least helps to coach him. He still runs a high school meet schedule of course but his dad isn't exactly just your average coach like you were suggesting.

Centro's coach in high school was a former decathlete, who has turned to tri's - Dana Dobbs. He is a legit coach and has had some good success

centro wrote:

I may be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure Centro's dad coaches him, or at least helps to coach him. He still runs a high school meet schedule of course but his dad isn't exactly just your average coach like you were suggesting.

Yeah I wondered about that. I'd seen interviews with his coach so I didn't know. I would be surprised if a successful college coach could do too much coaching of his son unless he's giving the workouts to the high school coach. But if I remember correctly he was doing a lot of work for his high school team, doubling to get more points etc.

Except for Rupp I really don't think high school runners in the U.S. have the opportunities that these club runners in Europe has to run as fast. By opportunities I mostly mean quality coach and quality system, and perhaps quality training partners. Ours is a fine system, just not as good as theirs.

It seems at least in the past 10 years or more that their are a lot of non american western junior runners who run quite fast in comparison to our high school kids, but that playing field evens out around 20-25 years.

Gregson is not with the mottram camp. his coach is Ian Hatfield.

hhahahah u kidding me he isnt trained by nic bideu

this kid has plenty of tallent still left in him at only 17 and will go very far .

It's the summer track season in Australia. That's why Gregson is being written about. That and the fact that the Aussie papers care about running.

Okay, what's next?

aussie media doesnt give a shit about athletics

World Youth List 3000m (2007)

7:57.18 Daniel Lemashon Salel KEN 11 12 1990 1 Ostrava 14 07 2007

7:59.67 Lucas Kimeli Rotich KEN 16 04 1990 2 Ostrava 14 07 2007

8:00.98 Hicham El Amrani MAR 30 01 1991 3 Ostrava 14 07 2007

8:01.26 Ryan Gregson AUS 26 04 1990 3 Sydney 10 11 2007

8:04.43 Moussa Karich MAR 03 09 1990 4 Ostrava 14 07 2007

4th ain't bad.

However, in the World Junior List, you will see that Edwin Kipkorir has run 7:40.88 and is only 6 months older than Gregson.