2015 Edomonton TrackTown Classic: Duane Bang's Back- Beats Sowinski and Symmonds, Vessey win's women's 8

Symmonds should give up his world spot to Solomon - winning Nationals was obviously a fluke.

Sowinski beating Symmonds by 1+ seconds is pretty shocking. Nick ain't nothing outside of Oregon.

So 3 comments with 2 questions mixed in:

1.) I'm guessing this was sit 'n' kick affair, based on the times.

2.) Why was Brycen Spratling in this race? I'm definitely not saying that he didn't belong, but rather I'm curious what his training and goals are. Is he planning to move up to other distances? Has he been building a bit more of a base to help his 400's, and chose this race as a way to test where he's at? Other reason? Very curious.

3.) Damn, Nick, pull it together.

4.) Who's this Mark Wieczorek fellow?

5.) Damn, Maggie, nice work! Looks like a good race for Fiona, too.

Have any of you thought about the possibility that Symmonds has gone back to the basics in order to be ready for late August rather than mid July? Nick looked great in the finals at US championships for the first time in a long time. I predict he will be ready to make the finals in August.

Benson is going to be the only women in the 800 final at Beijing this year who also ran in world cross last March.

Nick Symmonds knows the difference between important and meaningless meets. He was somehow way in front at the end when it counted and he'll be fit for world's. Too bad that Duane didn't have it and packed it in at Eugene. We could use him fit for World's.

My question is: why are Solomon, Symmonds, Vessey and Benson in Edmonton instead of being in Europe where the real racing is going on?

rojo wrote:

Makes you wonder what would have happened had Solomon not gone for broke at USAs. In hindsight, it seems like a foolish plan for a guy who hadn't been having the most consistent of buildups.

It will leave him hungrier for 2016.

Going for broke might be the best way for him to win but it's probably not his best chance for top 3 and 1-2-3 is all the same in terms of qualifying.

Poor direction from his coach who thought he was smarter than a great field.

Johnny has to take himself out of his coaching and think about the job at hand as you point out.

The job was to make the team, top 3 in which Duane was 100% capable of by running a smart race not Johnny's ego.

He's probably hitting another mesocycle now. As are many of the pros who aren't doing too hot in their first euro races.

Johnny's fool wrote:

[quote]rojo wrote:

Makes you wonder what would have happened had Solomon not gone for broke at USAs. In hindsight, it seems like a foolish plan for a guy who hadn't been having the most consistent of buildups.

It will leave him hungrier for 2016.

Going for broke might be the best way for him to win but it's probably not his best chance for top 3 and 1-2-3 is all the same in terms of qualifying.

Poor direction from his coach who thought he was smarter than a great field.

Johnny has to take himself out of his coaching and think about the job at hand as you point out.

The job was to make the team, top 3 in which Duane was 100% capable of by running a smart race not Johnny's ego.

You are a donkey, Duane did what he could off what is called zero "conditioning/base" because of injuries. Sharpen up a lil to see what he could pull off with just speed. His 700m was still pretty impressive, whether the show was over at that point or not. He would of not placed top 3 regardless..

Leo and Nick know when to race these other events are just semantics.......wejo play it what it's worth.....thought

Results from the 800s held today in Edmonton.

Delta Timing Group - Contractor License 7/12/2015 - 2:55 PM

TrackTown Classic - 7/11/2015 to 7/12/2015

Foote Field

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Event 408 Men 800 Meter International

================================================================

World: $ 1:40.91 9/8/2012 David Lekuta Rudis, KEN

Canadian: # 1:43.68 7/29/2008 Gary Reed

Meet: ! 1:44.92 7/6/2014 Duane Solomon, United State

Name Year Team Finals

================================================================

Finals

1 Duane Solomon USA 1:46.13

2 Erik Sowinski USA 1:46.34

3 Mark Wieczorek USA 1:46.73

4 Sean Obinwa Nigeria 1:47.27

5 Nick Symmonds USA 1:47.53

6 David Torrence USA 1:47.98

7 Geoff Harris Canada 1:49.71

8 Zach Perkins 92 USA 1:50.06

9 Brycen Spratling USA 1:51.66

Event 407 Women 800 Meter International

================================================================

World: $ 1:53.28 7/26/1983 Jarmila Kratochvilova, TCH

Canadian: # 1:58.39 9/2/2001 Diane Cummis

Meet: ! 2:01.81 6/16/2012 Lemlem Beriket, Canada

Name Year Team Finals

================================================================

Finals

1 Maggie Vessey USA 2:00.16!

2 Fiona Benson Canada 2:00.55!

3 Annie Leblanc Canada 2:03.43

4 Megan Malasarte USA 2:03.86

5 Lea Wallace USA 2:03.89

6 Kimarra McDonald Jamaica 2:04.02

7 Rachel Francois Canada 2:04.23

8 Phoebe Wright USA 2:04.27

9 Sarah Brown USA 2:05.96

10 Abby Regan Australia 2:06.73

-- Monica Hargrove USA DNF

The meet is currently on lie for free on athleticscanada.tv.

Other event results (there are no other distance races) can be found here:

http://results.deltatiming.com/tf/2015-track-town-classic#/2015-07-12

He is the world record holder at 500 - 60.06. Despite that, he hasn't run faster than 45.46 outdoors. Why not try an 800 and see if he can make it as an 800 guy? Or maybe it helps him for the 400.

Either way, trying to run the 400 is like trying to run the steeple in Kenya. If you can't be top 5 in world, you might as well find a new event.

Based on his other results this year, Nick over achieved at USAs. Everyone expects him to 'be ready for Worlds'. That may or may not be the case but a step back here seemed more likely than a step forward.

Mark Wieczorek- 2012 Olympic trials 800 finalist. 1:45.36 pb. Also a HS coach. His team Gig Harbor won the NXN team title a few years back and some nike fan boys got mad that he wore a Brooks headband on the awards stand.

Not sure why they were complaining. It's not like a Nike athlete is going to take their nike singlet off at Worlds where adidas is the official sponsor.

That is the first race that Fiona hasn't won in how long?? I know she's a strength runner, but I hope Mark doesn't overrrace her before Beijing. I'm sure she wants to do a quality 1500 at some point also.

Excellent win by Maggie. She seems to be having a solid, if star-crossed, season.

Nick is laughing. Duane can have all these he wants, Nick is about the payday.

This meet meant nothing. Symmonds has def. shown a good ability to perform in meets that matter. Good for Soloman, he ran a 1:46 and won the turkey trot but screwed up at nationals. Sowinski has shown he can't run faster than 144. Why all the duane's back, symmonds is done talk?

rojo wrote:

Makes you wonder what would have happened had Solomon not gone for broke at USAs. In hindsight, it seems like a foolish plan for a guy who hadn't been having the most consistent of buildups.

It will leave him hungrier for 2016.

Going for broke might be the best way for him to win but it's probably not his best chance for top 3 and 1-2-3 is all the same in terms of qualifying.

Htybhyghbbhy wrote:

My question is: why are Solomon, Symmonds, Vessey and Benson in Edmonton instead of being in Europe where the real racing is going on?

You really don't follow the sport do you?

Europeans on vacation wrote:

Htybhyghbbhy wrote:

My question is: why are Solomon, Symmonds, Vessey and Benson in Edmonton instead of being in Europe where the real racing is going on?

You really don't follow the sport do you?

What you wrote made no sense.

Europeans on vacation wrote:

Htybhyghbbhy wrote:

My question is: why are Solomon, Symmonds, Vessey and Benson in Edmonton instead of being in Europe where the real racing is going on?

You really don't follow the sport do you?

Not the B-circuit, no.

And how many wrong ways can the mod spell Edmonton?

speller guy44 wrote:

Europeans on vacation wrote:

You really don't follow the sport do you?

Not the B-circuit, no.

And how many wrong ways can the mod spell Edmonton?

The Edmonton meet was the final of the 5 meet NTL series in Canada. Think of it as the CFL, compared to the Diamond League = the NFL