Rome 800 Field: Aman, Kiprop, Kitum, Rotich and Solomon

Aman and Gebrehiwet HANDS DOWN!!!

Don't be too sure. I'm going with Soi. I've been around international athletics all my life, and have not seen many 5k's end in a kick like that demonstrated in Eugene.

The 800 is too short for Kiprop to fall asleep for the third 200, so he'll get 2nd at least. Heck, he may win.

There is absolutely NO WAY Rupp runs under 1:44. I know ceilings.

fjallraven wrote:

Don't be too sure. I'm going with Soi. I've been around international athletics all my life, and have not seen many 5k's end in a kick like that demonstrated in Eugene.

Soi can kick like mad, but I would be surprised if he is with Gebrhiwet when the bell rings. Gebrhiwet is on an entirely different level at the moment. Kenenisa Bekele would lose to Gebrhiwet at either 5000m or 10,000m at this point. But if Soi is there, yeah, he looks like a threat.

SPMBLNPF wrote:

fjallraven wrote:

Don't be too sure. I'm going with Soi. I've been around international athletics all my life, and have not seen many 5k's end in a kick like that demonstrated in Eugene.

Soi can kick like mad, but I would be surprised if he is with Gebrhiwet when the bell rings. Gebrhiwet is on an entirely different level at the moment. Kenenisa Bekele would lose to Gebrhiwet at either 5000m or 10,000m at this point. But if Soi is there, yeah, he looks like a threat.

He clearly is dominant in the 5000m right now, and seems to be running away from most fields, though I'm not sure he could do so from a properly fit Gebremeskel.

We haven't seen him run a 10,000 yet though, and we don't know if his training is focused on it. If it isn't, I'm not convinced that he would just walk over Bekele. His time in Eugene wasn't fast, but he just cruised doing the bare minimum needed to win and looked very comfortable doing it. In other words, it seems he isn't confident enough in his fitness to run away from the field, but had no difficulty beating a majority of the other strong 10,000 guys.

Gebrhiwet can run 26:45 right now, with the proper pacing. That much is clear. Kenenisa Bekele cannot run that fast currently, and time is not on his side.

Rooting for Kiprop, predicting Aman will win.

I would expect Gebrhiwet to run the fastest time in the world this year here, and it is likely he will make a statement to the Ethiopian Federation by running 12:55, if not faster. Gebrhiwet is obviously the one who has the courage to be the dominant runner in the world today. He is the one who can come close to Kenenisa Bekele's records. Can he eventuallly break them? Who knows? Even the world's expert on ceilings is not sure about that.

Soi has been for his ferocious kick much before the 2013 Pre Classic

fjallraven wrote:

Don't be too sure. I'm going with Soi. I've been around international athletics all my life, and have not seen many 5k's end in a kick like that demonstrated in Eugene.

In New York, Gebrhiwet got to 4600 in 12:06 low, running alone with a 50 meter lead and the race in the bag, so he didn't bother kicking.

In Eugene, Soi got to 4600 in 12:10 low, in a pack full of fast finishers including Farah.

Gebrhiwet could easily summon a 57 to hold off Soi if necessary, but if he had been in Eugene, he would have hit the bell in 12 flat or faster anyhow. He can pace himself faster than anyone else can be paced by a rabbit or a pack.

SPMBLNPF wrote:

I would expect Gebrhiwet to run the fastest time in the world this year here, and it is likely he will make a statement to the Ethiopian Federation by running 12:55, if not faster.

Well, as per usual, I got Gebrhiwet's time correct, but it is true that Alamirew got the WL time with 12:54.95, albeit with Gebrhiwet doing most of the work.

so how did these five you highlighted for the 800m do?