What year does 1:39.9 happen?

2021

2016

2018. Nijel Amos?

Just a note to consider - it took over 30 years to go from 1:41.73 to 1:40.91

Reaching the limit? wrote:

Just a note to consider - it took over 30 years to go from 1:41.73 to 1:40.91

The voice of reason. :(. Still, Rudisha ran that 1:40 in a non-rabbitted race.

That's because Coe was 15 years ahead of his time.

2014. July 31 to be exact. Commonwealth Games finals. This is all assuming that Rudisha is running. If not, the next time he runs a championship final. This is my hope, anyway.

Captain Oblivious wrote:

That's because Coe was 15 years ahead of his time.

If my quick research is right - Coe is the only person that ever has and likely ever will, take more than a full second off the WR in one swipe. 'Ahead of his time' is quite an appropriate tag.

This is true wrote:

Captain Oblivious wrote:

That's because Coe was 15 years ahead of his time.

If my quick research is right - Coe is the only person that ever has and likely ever will, take more than a full second off the WR in one swipe. 'Ahead of his time' is quite an appropriate tag.

1:45.7 Roger Moens 08-03-55

1:44.3 Peter Snell 02-02-62

(And Snell wasn't the only one)

lol lol lol lol wrote:

This is true wrote:

If my quick research is right - Coe is the only person that ever has and likely ever will, take more than a full second off the WR in one swipe. 'Ahead of his time' is quite an appropriate tag.

1:45.7 Roger Moens 08-03-55

1:44.3 Peter Snell 02-02-62

(And Snell wasn't the only one)

WWII ruined a generation of racers and stunted general WR progression - i.e. 4:00 mile would have been broken before Bannister. Snell was a stud, but I think he showed up on the tail end of some some 'soft' records that should have been further along

What was even more impressive about Coe's WR is that shortly after it was set, Joaquim Cruz came 1/25 of a second from claiming the WR and Sammy Koseki also ran roughly 1/2 a second off. After that, no one else broke 1:42 until Kipkeiter came during the EPO era.

Amazing how even today that Coe, Cruz and Koseki are still in the top-10 800m PB's of all time (3rd, 5th and 7th respectively).

Historical Commentator wrote:

lol lol lol lol wrote:

1:45.7 Roger Moens 08-03-55

1:44.3 Peter Snell 02-02-62

(And Snell wasn't the only one)

WWII ruined a generation of racers and stunted general WR progression - i.e. 4:00 mile would have been broken before Bannister. Snell was a stud, but I think he showed up on the tail end of some some 'soft' records that should have been further along

No doubt...But IIRC, when Snell ran his 1:45.1 Olympic record in 1964, it was the 2nd fastest time ever, and Bill Crothers, who finished 2nd in 1:45.6, became the 2nd fastest 800 meter runner ever with that performance...

1967

2017

This is true wrote:

Captain Oblivious wrote:

That's because Coe was 15 years ahead of his time.

If my quick research is right - Coe is the only person that ever has and likely ever will, take more than a full second off the WR in one swipe. 'Ahead of his time' is quite an appropriate tag.

When he ran the 1:41.73 he was 1.71 faster than anyone else in history at the time. That's the biggest margin of superiority in the event since WW2.

What's more he ran an extra 1.5 to 2m that day to pass the rabbit on a bend, so it could have been 1:41.5 that night.

I also think he'd likely have broken 1:41 had he not suffered from injury and illness almost non stop until 1984.

1'39-3'24-3'41 wrote:

1967

exactly!

If it doesnt happen in 2015 or 2016, then I think it is going to be a long wait. While many of the young 800 guys are excellent, Rudisha is the only one who MAY be able to stretch it to 1:39.9. Realistically he has about 2 years left of his peak running.

Mr. Obvious wrote:

1'39-3'24-3'41 wrote:

1967

exactly!

At the risk of appearing very blonde... I simply don't get the 1967 reference?

Since it took 15 years to take a whole 0.2 seconds out of it, it's not illogical to assume it will be 100 or so years before we break 1:40. But of course that curve is flattening so it may be even longer.