Who is going to win the WC 1500 this summer?

ALAN WEBB:PRs: mile - 3:53.43 (2001); 1500m - 3:38.26 (2001); 800m - 1:47.74 (2001)

DAVID KRUMMENACKER: PRs: 800m 1:43.92 (2002); 1500m 3:31.91 (2002)

SENECA LASSITER: PRs: 800m 1:45.51 (1999); 1500m 3:33.72 (1999); mile 3:54.21 indoors (2001)

BRYAN BERRYHILL: PR: 1500- 3:35.56 (2001), Mile - 3:55.01 (2001)

MICHAEL STEMBER: PRs: 800m 1:46.20 (2000); 1500m 3:35.11 (2000); Mile 3:58.57 (indoors) (1999)

I think that its fair to say that Alan Webb has run the mile faster than any current American runner. I agree David Krummenacker is the Best American 1500 Runner. I am a Krummenacker fan!

Webb has been working on his speed. We already know that he's a strong kid from his college cross country experience. I predict that Alan Webb will be back to surprise you.

I agree. Alan may do well but Krummenacker is head and shoulders above the rest of the country right now. He's like the first true US middle distance runner that can legitimately be considered a threat to win in as long as i can remember. He has all the tools he needs; All he has to do is catch the field on a bad day and he could pull it off, no question about it.

Rabbittruns wrote:

I agree. Alan may do well but Krummenacker is head and shoulders above the rest of the country right now. He's like the first true US middle distance runner that can legitimately be considered a threat to win in as long as i can remember. He has all the tools he needs; All he has to do is catch the field on a bad day and he could pull it off, no question about it.

Krummenacker is a threat to win?

Dude, I'm really not sure about that...you realise that El G is 6 (!!!!!!) seconds faster than him in the 1500?

Granted, championship races are usually slower than the time trials that El G sets all his PRs in, but I think it's safe to say that Krummenacker will have to run a PR to win the WC gold.

It should be interesting to see what Stember and Lunn do after a year of Gags training

Surprised I have only seen Mehdi Baala's name from France mentioned once - and not seriously.

For all you guys rating Krumm - especially in a slow race, Baala is a 1500 specialist with a 800 PR of 1min43.15 (rieti 02) and has run sub 3min31, and for those who mention Esteves - Baala outkicked him in the slowest European champs final I have ever seen.

I still doubt El G's ability to win a genuine tactical race. There hasnt been one in the last 3-4 WC - the last was when Morceli closed it out in 50.3 to win in Stuttgart 93.

For those of you who mentioned Ngeny - no.

Same with William Chirchir - no. He is too nice - no killer instinct - despite being a 1min43 800 runner, and 3min29 guy - he couldnt even win the Commonwealth Games 1500m - being beaten by a 1min48, 3min39 guy. And he was happy with silver!!!

I agree with Vipam, that Cornelius is a much bigger threat. He is not as nice (in a running sense) as William, and at the moment is going up - but beware of those who run fast at a young age.

Another young Kenyan to watch is potentially a guy called Alex Kipchirchir. World Junior 800m champ, and has a PR of 3min32.95. He ran this at Zurich in the u23 race, and closed out faster than El G in the A race. And he is an animal - if he makes the team - he is my dark horse.

But of anyone who will take El G's crown, Im going with Baala.

William Chirchir and Cornelius Chirchir are brothers. I have proof

Hey Word-which one of the Americans you mentioned has run 3:53(besides Krum converted)? None-I swear also I am so damn sick and tired of this Krum hype-the guy has been around for a while now-always had the ability-and ALWAYS failed when it counted-he is not among the top 7-8 in the world in the 800 or 1500 and that will clearly be seen this summer. Last summer people were winning alot of those 800's in Europe substantially slower than the summer before when Yuri and Bucher were hammering every Friday-look it up rocket scientists. I am very happy to see Krum improve and run as well as he did last summer-but he is absolutely not in the same class as people like Bucher, Yuri, Lagat, or El G-Webb has a more legit chance of competing against them than Krum for god sakes at this time. News Flash-Krum will not break Johnny's 1:42 mark this year or any other year, and he sure as hell isn't going to take the US mile or 1500 mark down either.

Me...Frodo..with the ring of power I will become invisible

hulkamaniac, I think a better phrasing is "El G used to want to run a tactical race" In 1996, he did win the Grand Prix final in 3:38+, putting nearly a second up on Morceli all in the last 100m. This is after going out in 63, 2:05, then running the last 800 around 1:48. Then the 1997 WC's were definitely tactical with the pace going 62, 2:02, then kicking it down with a 54sec third lap and a final circuit in 51mid to win in 3:35. Ironically, these were very similar to the splits that Morceli used in the 95 World Champs to win over ElG and Niyongabo, another tactical race.

Point is, El G used to run tactical races, but the last four years maybe just doesn't want to take the chance. After Sydney, I can't see him going into that situation again. I really wonder why he went with the pace-maker in Seville though, that year there was just no one who could touch him. Maybe he was worried that the Spaniards would be too much on their game being in front of the home crowd.

I agree, Baala is one guy to look out for. Consistely improving, and demonstrating good speed the last year. Why don't more 1500m guys run the 800 anymore? One post mentioned Krum as the only classic US Middle Distance runner, seems like he is the only classic World Middle Distance runner since he ranked in the 8 and had one of the year's best times in the 15....

Hulkamanic

Weird name but you made very valid points. I totally forget about Baala and his impressive 2002 season and he should be consider a THREAT along with Alex Kipchichir

and Cornelius Chirchir. I truly think Benard Lagat, Noah Ngeny, and William Chirchir have the talent but lack something and will not challenge King of the 1500m Hicham

The only ones I think will be hungry enough to try and beat

Hicham are Baala, C. Chirchir*, and Kipchirchir*.

(*if they make the Kenyan team)

Also I don't see Hicham breaking the World Record in the Final; however, Baala and Chirchir could easily pr by 2-3 seconds and be all over Hicham! They will have to PR because a healthy Hicham WILL NOT let the pace lag.

MachoTime wrote:

ALAN WEBB:PRs: mile - 3:53.43 (2001); 1500m - 3:38.26 (2001); 800m - 1:47.74 (2001)

DAVID KRUMMENACKER: PRs: 800m 1:43.92 (2002); 1500m 3:31.91 (2002)

SENECA LASSITER: PRs: 800m 1:45.51 (1999); 1500m 3:33.72 (1999); mile 3:54.21 indoors (2001)

BRYAN BERRYHILL: PR: 1500- 3:35.56 (2001), Mile - 3:55.01 (2001)

MICHAEL STEMBER: PRs: 800m 1:46.20 (2000); 1500m 3:35.11 (2000); Mile 3:58.57 (indoors) (1999)

I think that its fair to say that Alan Webb has run the mile faster than any current American runner. I agree David Krummenacker is the Best American 1500 Runner. I am a Krummenacker fan!

Webb has been working on his speed. We already know that he's a strong kid from his college cross country experience. I predict that Alan Webb will be back to surprise you.

We are all forgetting one key American right now. The only one to make it to the finals @ 2001 WC that man being Paul McMullen he has run 3:54 in the mile, 3:33 for 1500, 1:45 for 800, and placed 10th when he was there 2 years ago. I think we all have a little Webb fever right now and he is still just a flash in the pan for right now. I agree with the vast majority on this thread in saying he won't even make the team to go this year, and Krum and McMullen will both make the finals and one of them will be on the podium.

I know all about the racing in Europe this past summer, as I was there for some of it. I honestly don't know how Yuri and Bucher do it they are AWESOME!!! And this is all opinion... but Webb won't be able to maintain a racing schedule such as those guys and if he tries, he'll blow up. Look at that ONE good year that Webb had, how much time did he have in between each race??? LOTS. He is a reat runner. But he got impatient at UMich. And don't count Krum out for breaking records just yet. If you think last year was an indication of what he wants to do... it was just a step in the direction he wants to go. I am sure that his focus (as most people who have a shot) is on the WC this summer... and the Olympics next summer. This summer will tell the tale of Webb. I personally can not wait to see what happens with everyone.

flash gordon wrote:

We are all forgetting one key American right now. The only one to make it to the finals @ 2001 WC that man being Paul McMullen he has run 3:54 in the mile, 3:33 for 1500, 1:45 for 800, and placed 10th when he was there 2 years ago. I think we all have a little Webb fever right now and he is still just a flash in the pan for right now. I agree with the vast majority on this thread in saying he won't even make the team to go this year, and Krum and McMullen will both make the finals and one of them will be on the podium.

How do you figure that Webb is a flash in the pan and McMullen isn't.

The logic of some of the people on this board completely escapes me. At least be consistent in your stupidity.

Webb shot his wadd early and is finished- he will never approach that mile time again. He won't even be able to stay with the top D1 runners this year, which I think will be Sage, Robison and Brannen.

william and cornelius chirchir are brothers and gideon chirchir their younger brother won the national high school championship with 3:41sec & 1:47.0 sec.

Just another opinion wrote:

Webb shot his wadd early and is finished- he will never approach that mile time again. He won't even be able to stay with the top D1 runners this year, which I think will be Sage, Robison and Brannen.

Once again - based on what?

Webb ran 3:53 in his next to last competition in 2001, ran well in cross country last year, got injured and was able to run 3:40 last year off limited training.

What in that succession of events leads you to believe that he will now no longer be able to run with guys he was beating last year?

What American has run faster than Webb's 3:53 mile in the last 3 years?

>He's never beaten Sage in any head to head race. He has run solidly but not spectacularly while at and since he left MI, injury notwithstanding. I simply think, and this is just another opinion (duh!) that he made a mistake by leaving MI and that will hurt him in the long run, that he will not be able to repeat his early achievements. It has happened before and it will happen again and the only reason we care is because of his one accomplishment. I'll frankly be happy to be wrong.

who cares