SYMMONDS WILL BE THE WORLD CHAMPION!!

I just wish he would quit trying to infringe on American's civil liberties. Maybe he should focus on winning races instead of trying to think.

"I would gladly turn in my handgun tomorrow if I knew that others would be required to do so as well."

-Symmonds tweet Dec. 14, 2012

"I'm saying, "Washington, PLEASE pass some gun control legislation."

-Symmonds tweet Dec. 14, 2012

"But when those people kill they usually use assault rifles . . . "

-Symmonds tweet Dec. 14, 2012

Uhh, wrong on the assault rifles, wrong on rifles in general. If he wasn't busy trying to snag celebrity dates and reality show gigs, maybe he could read the FBI crime statistics. But no, he's a low-information tweeter and Fudd gun owner.

Symmonds could sneak in for bronze at best.

Job Kinyor lost this race due to poor tactics.

Amman and Amos will definitely beat Symmonds and win medals.

Solomon will beat Symmonds.

One swallow does not a summer make.

Symmond has only won one race in a year. I hope I am right on this bit.

Solomon- front-running makes him vulnerable, since he is not Rudisha.

Aman- has a way of tanking when it really counts (London last year especially)

Symmonds- It's taken way too long for him to figure out how to deal with big finals. He may finally be the right guy in the right place at the right time.

Amos- is he even running?

Kitum- hasn't run well this year. Injured?

Johnson- Still learning, still improving, could sneak a medal.

It's wide open, folks. And this is the strongest 800 team in American history, hands down.

You heard it here first...

GOLD: Aman (1:42.7x)

SILVER: Souleiman (1:42.8x)

BRONZE: Bosse (1:43.1x)

Dot Connector wrote:

Solomon- front-running makes him vulnerable, since he is not Rudisha.

Solomon needs to go out faster - 49.5 is not good enough. Ideally 48.5 through the first 400 and no slower than 49.0 if he wants give himself a strategic advantage.

Tonald Drump wrote:

Meh - 1:43 mid in a race that was perfectly paced for him to win it.

Can he run 1:41 high balls out or 1:43 mid in a race with speeding up, slowing down, getting boxed in, etc? I don't think so.

Nips some dude at the line for bronze at best.

Most 800s are not run like this at all. Yes, you can get boxed in but not if you are in last place, like Nick used to run, or you are near the front, which Nick just showed he can do.

Don't be so sure about Solomon. He looks a little overtrained to me. Didn't you notice how he began to tie up as Symmonds went around him? I hope Solomon hasn't left his best races behind him this season. Symmonds seemed the opposite as he really looked fresh the final 80 meters. Johnson and Mulder both had good races also, and "the kid" Greer is getting some great experience. He was in the mix for about 600 meters, so is showing improved strength at the higher pro speeds. It goes to show the advantage of being part of the Nike group. Would Greer had been in this race, had he not been a part of NOP? Smart move by him to sign with NOP and train with the best.

Cannot Restrain Myself wrote:

Don't be so sure about Solomon. He looks a little overtrained to me. Didn't you notice how he began to tie up as Symmonds went around him? I hope Solomon hasn't left his best races behind him this season. Symmonds seemed the opposite as he really looked fresh the final 80 meters. Johnson and Mulder both had good races also, and "the kid" Greer is getting some great experience. He was in the mix for about 600 meters, so is showing improved strength at the higher pro speeds. It goes to show the advantage of being part of the Nike group. Would Greer had been in this race, had he not been a part of NOP? Smart move by him to sign with NOP and train with the best.

I don't think Solomon was pushing that hard. It looked much more like a training run to me where he made a decent effort, but no where close to all out.

He runs GR8 races and keeps 'em cummin'.

Greer is with the Oregon track Club... not the Nike Oregon project.

Cannot Restrain Myself wrote:

[quote] Would Greer had been in this race, had he not been a part of NOP? Smart move by him to sign with NOP and train with the best.

I stand corrected. But, doesn't Greer then train with Symmonds and Mulder? And isn't the Oregon Track Club really close to the NOP and Nike people? If so, then doesn't that give him a door to start getting invited into these elite fields at DL meets?

Cannot Restrain Myself wrote:

I stand corrected. But, doesn't Greer then train with Symmonds and Mulder? And isn't the Oregon Track Club really close to the NOP and Nike people? If so, then doesn't that give him a door to start getting invited into these elite fields at DL meets?

Greer got invited, and will get invited, because of his times and the fact that he was 4th at USA Outdoors, the same core reason why Mulder got invited. When Greer raced London DL last year, it was his University of Oregon connection that got him invited.

Right now OTC Elite has the best training group in the US for the 800m. Yes, it is a Nike training center, and Rowland is a well regarded coach from the UK. Look where he took Symmonds and Mulder the last two years. Greer will be next. Greer must have run 30 races for UO since January, and clearly needs a break from having cleaned the boards after a brilliant senior season.

Yes. I don't know if it was show biz but I think he was sending a message to the others. Two smart races in a row for Symmonds.

I am sure if he could he could have beaten Symmonds, he would. No excuses.

He will lose.