After my preview of yesterday (no chances for Tasmyn Lewis, and she was the winner...), I want to comment World Indoor under technical point of view.
a) The Ethiopians are now able to finish last km very fast, very close their PB in 1000m, not allowing other athletes with good kick (for example, Edwin Soi) to use their weapon. This depends on their talent, but also on their type of training. They use more long intervals on track, compared with Kenyans, more long fartlek, and their warm-up is always very fast, so those km can be considered a REAL training, while for Kenyans is only jogging, sometime not fast enough for being ready for the competition.
First teachment : IF YOU WANT TO BE A TOP CHAMPION; WHEN YOU RUN, RUN FAST TRYING TO EXTEND YOUR SPECIFIC ENDURANCE. Less speed for increasing your speed : you must train your speed under MECHANICAL POINT OF VIEW (short sprint uphill and on the track, trying the max nervous reactivity, like a real sprinter), but after, LONG INTERVALS AT MAX SPEED (from 600 to 2000m) ON TRACK OR ON ROAD.
b) The Ethiopians are coming also in 1500m. Deresse Mwekonnen, that was my favourite after the heats, was able to win after an incredible amount o0f mistakes during the race (he ran 2 laps in 3rd lane, was pushed out of the track, went up and down, was in front and in the middle, but after WAS THE STRONGEST), and his limits are very far (why not under 3´30"), and Gebremedhin too can be competitive for a medal in Beijing.
c) The Ethiopian mentality is to manage the race with big personality, they are front runners that want to give their print to the competition. They dont fear, many Kenyans fear.
d) Kaki has the same mentality of Ethiopians. The night before tha race, we spoke for 30´ together with him and his coach Juma Aden, my real friend, and I told him "dont look for the tactic of other runners, that you dont know, this can give you confuion. You are strong, your tactic is to go in front for killing the others, not for becoming their rabbit". Very simple, but you need to be very strong mentally for doing this,. This guy is the future of 800 together with Rudisha, but, in 2 years, also the future of 1500m
e) In Indoor, if tghe protagonist is THE FRIGHT (as in 800m Women), who has the courage to go in front can win. In that race, NOTHING CHANGED DURING THE LAST 200m. Tasmyn Lewis had the courage, because nothing to lose, but the others were "coward", and lost.
f) In 1500m W, the Russian are very strong, and, as the Ethiopian, prefer to be in front. This level of self confidance is very important for being a top champion. We have to work in this direction.