The Class of 2009 - Best ever for 800m?

Hey throw in Nick Wade, a true frosh from Cornell. Going from 1:53 high school outdoors to 1:49 frosh indoors is pretty damn good. Also a 2:23 high 1K. And I definitely agree, prob the best true freshman 800's runners ever, or at least in quite a while.

You've got to think that a couple of them will take a hack at the 1500 if not this year, then maybe over the next couple, just to see what shakes out.

Even their best decathlete can split 1:47...haha

Curtis Beach completely slipped my mind. He can definitely run 1:47.xx if he got into a fast open race.

I also forgot about Peter Callahan, although I haven't seen any big results from him this year. He ran 1:51.xx splitting around 24 for his last 200m, and ran a 4:05 mile off 35 mpw, so I expect to see big things from him.

I would think Jeff Thode might be able to add to this group as well, especially with his 4:03.07 this weekend.

"True freshman" is an asinine term.WTF, you probably say "full mile."

koose wrote:

Zach Mellon just ran 1:47.45 for 800m, making him the fourth true freshman under 1:48 indoors this year.

Elijah Greer - 1:47.33

Zach Mellon - 1:47.45

Cas Loxsom - 1:47.98

Robby Andrews - 1:48.06

I think Andrews can break 1:48 if he ran an honest paced race instead of sitting and kicking to win.

You can throw Mac Fleet into the mix too, as he ran 1:50.xx last year. This year, he PR'ed in the mile by over five full seconds, so I expect his 800 to be much faster too.

The high school class of 2009 is showing insane depth in the 800m. My question is: Has there ever been a college freshman class stronger than the class of 2009 for the 800m?

I can't wait to see the 800m at NCAA outdoors in 2013.

ummh,..... 1988 a true freshman from Virginia won the Olympic Games in 1:43... he coaches at UTEP now..

Earl Jones ran 1:44 relay as a true freshman ( and was second in the 1500m outdoors and then ran a leg on his 4x400m team)

Not the same year for these guys but Hard to beat that.

Great year none the less, and seems to have deep depth...

1991 pre mile champ wrote:

ummh,..... 1988 a true freshman from Virginia won the Olympic Games in 1:43... he coaches at UTEP now..

Earl Jones ran 1:44 relay as a true freshman ( and was second in the 1500m outdoors and then ran a leg on his 4x400m team)

Not the same year for these guys but Hard to beat that.

Great year none the less, and seems to have deep depth...

You said it at the end, the depth is what is so impressive. There might not be one out and away stud this year, but you have to think that one or two of the guys in this class are really going to shake out and become something special. If a 1:44 comes out of this class eventually that is fantastic, and those odds are looking good.

I think it speaks to the depth of this years 800m runners when a runner like Nick Wade runs 1:49 as a fresh and doesn't get any national recognition.

Impressive. Just FYI he did run for Kenya. Here's the video for everyone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqmRLeDxnjU

You certainly missed the point.If a student athlete is in their first year, they are a freshman the non gender specific frosh.The redshirts should have the qualifier, not the first year freshman.BTW, Ereng was a freshman in the 1987-88. The Olympic final was September 26, 1988, a new academic year.

1991 pre mile champ wrote:

ummh,..... 1988 a true freshman from Virginia won the Olympic Games in 1:43... he coaches at UTEP now..

Earl Jones ran 1:44 relay as a true freshman ( and was second in the 1500m outdoors and then ran a leg on his 4x400m team)

Not the same year for these guys but Hard to beat that.

Great year none the less, and seems to have deep depth...

Also looking for Callahan to do big things. As long as he quits his sit&kick strategy. It just won't work with the big dogs and with a mile time like his, he shouldn't need to anyways.

koose wrote:

I also forgot about Peter Callahan, although I haven't seen any big results from him this year. He ran 1:51.xx splitting around 24 for his last 200m, and ran a 4:05 mile off 35 mpw, so I expect to see big things from him.

He beat Wade at their conference champs going around him in lane 3 on the final curve. Interestingly, may not even be the best 800m runner on his team, with Russell Dinkins having just run 1:50.19 at Notre Dame

Run&Lift wrote:

Also looking for Callahan to do big things. As long as he quits his sit&kick strategy. It just won't work with the big dogs

Unless he transfers to a big 10 school.

1991 pre mile champ wrote:

Not the same year for these guys

and therefore not relevant to this thread.

Speed wins in the end. Callahan is a winner. You'll see. When is someone going to have the guts to take him out.