Leo Wow!!!! 3:51 FTW

Wow, Leo really can surprise you now and then. Also, not to take away anything from Manzano's victory whatsoever..but Lagat is training specifically for the 5k for Worlds right? (Haven't been as up to date on USATF as I usually am). Again not to diminish Leo's efforts, but at Lagat's age, while training for a longer distance, to still almost win this race is just beyond me (wouldn't be surprised if this sparks EPO comments) but still, the man's a monster. Congrats to both Leo and Lagat, and let's see how this all plays out at worlds. Although we have a ways to go, I must admit that I'm very proud of American running at the moment.

Congrats,Leo !

wo wrote:

He shocked the world.

Looking at last year's results his performance was not a huge surprise. But the way in which he won was very impressive.

1. Augustine Kiprono CHOGE KEN 87 3:50.14

2. Mekonnen GEBREMEDHIN ETH 88 3:50.35

3. Leonel MANZANO USA 84 3:50.64

4. Amine LAALOU MAR 82 3:51.51

5. Ryan GREGSON AUS 90 3:52.24

6. Silas KIPLAGAT KEN 89 3:52.32

7. Gideon GATHIMBA KEN 80 3:52.81

8. Mohamed MOUSTAOUI MAR 85 3:53.06

9. Thomas LANCASHIRE GBR 85 3:53.39

10. Lopez LOMONG USA 85 3:54.55

11. Andrew BADDELEY GBR 82 3:57.50

12. Yusuf Kibet BIWOTT KEN 86 3:59.08

13. Peter VAN DER WESTHUIZEN RSA 84 4:05.52

- Collins CHEBOI KEN 87 DNF

- David KRUMMENACKER USA 75 DNF

This is great!

So Leo loses a few. He knows what it's like at the bottom end but he doesn't panic.

That was a beautifully judged race.

American Distance Runners: I gotta say, I respect Leo so much more than the gringo whiners with their oxygen tents and pollen filters and erection enhancement devices who can't even finish a GP meet.

I hope he places high in the World final and given the way those races are usually run, there's no reason why a top-5 finish is out of the question. He even has an outside medal chance if the race develops as this one did (3:35 final time).

Also, last year if I recall he timed his kick a little late. This year he put himself in position for the win at the turn.

Hey Ma,that guy says Lomong and Lagat becamo gringoes !

wejo wrote:

I must be getting old. What does FTW stand for?

wejo,

do you know your brother rojo? why don't you ask him?

cold cold hot cold cold warm cold cold ... HOT!!!

Leonel Manzano, Joe Falcon, Pablo Solaris prove there is plenty of middle distance talent in Mexico. Why don't college coaches recruit more in Mexico? The transition would be easier than say for an African and most know either a bit of English or quite a bit. I would much rather take a 3:52 seventeen-year old from Mexico City than a 3:49 seventeen-year old from Ireland or England.

savagesquid wrote:

This is great!

So Leo loses a few. He knows what it's like at the bottom end but he doesn't panic.

Paging Alan Webb. Paging Alan Webb.

We ARE recruiting athletes from Mexico. We are also training American (non-hispanic) athletes in Mexico.

Google La Loma altitude training center--quite possibly the best in the world, and people like Rowbury have been there. An almost unbelievably great place to train.

Do you guys believe that Centrowitz and Leo will smoke the Kenynans at the worlds? In the last 2 Diamond league meetings, Your AKA Centrowitz was 11th and you guys think he will medal at Daegu? and again Jeremy?lol

He often races poorly and gets himself out of position, but if he is anywhere close in the last lap he always has a kickers chance.

Great kickers in track are like great punchers in boxing, you can't ever count them out.

Runners wrote:

Do you guys believe that Centrowitz and Leo will smoke the Kenynans at the worlds? In the last 2 Diamond league meetings, Your AKA Centrowitz was 11th and you guys think he will medal at Daegu? and again Jeremy?lol

Obvious troll post but I'll respond anyway. BTW, what the heck does "Your AKA Centrowitz" mean?

The winning time in Daegu is likely to be around 3:35. The last 3 WC winning times were 3:35.93, 3:34.77, and 3:37.88.

At that pace Manzano's kick is as good as anyone's. He has not run well-executed races in previous international championships, but maybe this year his experience will pay off.

Is he a favorite? No. Is he one of 8 or 9 guys with a legitimate shot at a medal? Definitely.

great race.

i always root for the little guys. we rule distance running.

Joe Falcon is not a mexican.

Falcon was born in the US and Leo moved to America when he was 4 years old. I think everything Leo knows about distance running orginated in the US.

No one is saying Manzano will beat Kiplagat or Kiprop at Worlds.

Komen is questionable, though.

Laalou is a medal favorite.

An Ethiopian may slip in there.

There is Nick Willis to consider.

Is Kaki doubling?

Wheating may be getting fitter right now, Won't be race sharp but the rounds could help with that.

I think Manzano getting top 6 at Worlds is possible and it would be a bpretty big deal for him.

Manzano demonstrated in college how great of a racer he is. I think he has tremendous coaching in Cook and Ponsonby. However, after all the videos on flotrack when he was at Texas, I think it was clear that Vigilante really taught him how to race like a champion. The guy won the 1500 freshman year and barely lost most of his collegiate career. Look at the way Jacob Hernandez won the 800 his senior year over Wheating. Incredible gutsy. Vig has taught Robbie Andrews the same type of winning mentality. He's now coaching Alan Webb and I think he's going to turn him back into an animal and a winner.