Kiprop runs 1:44.70 TT at high altitude

Checker wrote:

The fact that Kenya produced a good javelin thrower proves my point. It proves that culture does not hinder Kenya or any other major track country from producing javeliners or jumpers or sprinters.

You are an idiot. The fact that Kenya's world-beating javelin thrower had to teach himself with YouTube and move to Finland to train proves how wrong you are. Compared with running in Kenya, there is absolutely no culture for throwing (which does exist in Scandinavia and other parts of northern Europe, as well as CAN/USA/AUS/NZL/GBR to a lesser extent).

Kenya has genetic talent for distance running AND a culture promoting mid-d and distance excellence.

There are literally thousands of potential NCAA-level runners in Kenyan primary schools right now. Tens of thousands. In a country 1/10 the size of the US. That is called talent.

In Iten or Eldoret you can go to the track and find hundreds of runners, from Asbel Kiprop to 3:5x teeenagers, rocking workouts together, welcoming anyone who walks up. That is called culture.

Go take your javelin to the field area in Eldoret and let me know how you make out with the javelin culture you say exists there.

Seriously mate? wrote:

I think the 800 is the crossover event where it's difficult to say whether it helps or not. Perhaps it helps the first 400m when one is not relying on aerobic metabolism as much and it hurts the last 400m of the race when the body is screaming for oxygen?

It helps sea-level athletes a little bit. That's been known since the '68 Games.

Metric Miler wrote:

Not true. Like I said, what is the middle distance gene that is prevalent in Britain? Or the gene that allows Eastern Europe to produce great throwers, and great middle distance runners, but few sprinters or long distance runners?

Jamaican people aren't all born the same. There is middle distance talent there, just the sport isn't popular and so they do not pursue it or ever find their talent. There will be more Jamaican distance runners as the sports popularity increases, I am certain. Jamaican people are as diverse as any other nation.

Sorry but there is very little middle distance talent in Jamaica. Most Jamaicans are of west African extraction. And we all know there is little to no distance running talent in west Africa.

Have you ever heard of a good middle distance runner from Nigeria or Ghana or Senegal or LIberia ?

And please don't give me that garbage about culture. There are numerous west Africans who have attempted distance running. When people are desperately poor , they will try anything. Trust me if West Africans could run road races well, you would see plenty of them, running culture or not.

No I'm sorry. I'm sorry you don't understand the real world and that in Liberia there is very little opportunity to take part in sport at all. Are you going to tell me that Liberians aren't naturally good at rugby/basketball/cycling as they have little international representation there also? Do you know how poor Liberia and Ghana are?

What about Mo Farah, he is from Somalia. Ever heard of great distance running talent from Somalia? No there is none so I guess they don't have the genes for it?

Do you think the reason Europeans and North Americans dominate cycling is down to some Caucasian cycling gene?

Official time yesterday was 1:43:75.

https://twitter.com/Rosassociati/status/721228484413145088

It's being reported as 1:43:65 by local media.

Kiprop seems impressively strong for April.

I'm guessing that was in the final? I remember reading he ran 1:44.3 (think it was) in the semi yesterday, after the 1:45.2 Thursday, but then being quoted that he might not run the final.

This is the first I've heard of a 1:43.

El Keniano wrote:

It's being reported as 1:43:65 by local media.

Wow. I'd hate to be coaching other 1500 runners now.

If official time and not just his watch!, it'll be hard to talk down to inspire confidence in your own runners..

Everyone is running for second place now in Rio. Kiprop is just incredible, you have to admit. If you were paying attention in 2015, this is not surprising.

It would seem he is likely in sub 3:28 shape already. Scary.

Very impressive and I can absolutely see him breaking the 1500m world record this year. Seeing the name Rosa and Associates gives me pause, however.

So he went 1:45-1:44-1:43 in 3 days in a row? ....in April......when he's more than likely training through completely......

...........EPO (or another designer form of it)

Asbel indeed did not run the final and the official time given for his semi on Friday is 1:44:34. As for the 1:43:75, that is according to Rosa Associati which is his management group which also indicated that Asbel ran 1:44 in the heats whereas the official time was 1:45:2. Rosa Associati time is therefore not reliable. It is intended to boost Asbel's morale. That said, Asbel appears to be in great shape and should be able to break the WR.

MakwalaFan wrote:

I'm guessing that was in the final? I remember reading he ran 1:44.3 (think it was) in the semi yesterday, after the 1:45.2 Thursday, but then being quoted that he might not run the final.

This is the first I've heard of a 1:43.

Very strange that Kenyan news are reporting it as 1:44.34http://www.dyestatpro.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=88&do=news&news_id=411350-Asbel-Kiprop-Runs-World-Leading-800m-Time-in-Kenya-Daily-Nation

El Keniano wrote:

Official time yesterday was 1:43:75.

https://twitter.com/Rosassociati/status/721228484413145088

Mak Daddy's workout was better.

i don't know if it is 1'43.65 or 1'43.75

the tables i did show a 1'44.00 at ~ 7,000' which i believe eldoret is, 1'43.48

therefore his 1'43.65 or 1'43.75 is :

1'43.13 or 1'43.23

for a sea-level effort & i doubt he got much pacing & nor done his speedwork yet properly as it is still april & only mid-april !!!

so this i woud say was run off just mostly endurance & little speedwork yet

suffice to say, if he stays healthy for meat of outdoor season, i expect him to smash the 1500wr this year & if he wants it bad enough & commits to a fast 800 pace from the gun expect him to offer a real threat to the 800WR

I was in the meeting for the first two days, and went to see the official times : 1'45"2 (heats), and 1'44"6 (semis), also if I had in my watch the time of 1'44"4 (with split of 50"0 in the first 400). I really don't understand while the management write as official the time Asbel himself takes with his watch, this is a behavior coming from his training, when he's alone and takes himself his own times, and is also a "fault" he must not repeat, since for pushing the button of his watch he goes to lose some time, and at the end his final time is far from the REAL time.

However, I can confirm he gave me the impression to be better than last year. I will not be surprised if in Doha can run immediately around 3'27", not far from the WR.

Here he is checking his Garmin at 400m.

https://twitter.com/RunEmilyERun/status/721052573667573760

Renato Canova wrote:

I was in the meeting for the first two days, and went to see the official times : 1'45"2 (heats), and 1'44"6 (semis), also if I had in my watch the time of 1'44"4 (with split of 50"0 in the first 400). I really don't understand while the management write as official the time Asbel himself takes with his watch, this is a behavior coming from his training, when he's alone and takes himself his own times, and is also a "fault" he must not repeat, since for pushing the button of his watch he goes to lose some time, and at the end his final time is far from the REAL time.

However, I can confirm he gave me the impression to be better than last year. I will not be surprised if in Doha can run immediately around 3'27", not far from the WR.

There seems to be so many different times being bandied about for all 3 of his runs. Sounds very suspect to me. How reliable can we expect the times given to be, considering their laid back attitude to dope testing and obvious corruption within Kenyan athletics?

Also, it is a nonsense to suggest that Kenyan athletes born and raised at altitude are affected adversely running 2 laps at 800m. Any conversion charts give a guide and cannot be used to confirm said athlete would have been quicker at sea level.

Historical evidence shows that sea level born athletes get some benefit running at altitude over 800m. Those born at altitude get a bigger benefit. Rudisha has run some of his most impressive performances at altitude.

What was Kiprop's actual winning time in the final?

Whatever it was, add about 0.5 and that will give you his current 800 ability at sea level.

the fact he is also one of Rosa's athletes, he with a long list of associated athletes having failed drug tests, should also raise a few eyebrows as to anything his other athletes do.

Depending on whether the Kenyan athletic authority is actually forced to do random OOS and OOC testing to the same robust levels as most European countries, and that it isn't just a token gesture to make the world think they are in line with everyone else, will determine whether he gets the WR or not.

If it carries on like it has for years, then he might just sneak it on the absurdly fast Monaco track, after running a 3:27/28 on that other meet in May, which also throws up ridiculously fast times that athletes seldom match all season long, in Doha.

If the IAAF really are genuine in getting rid of corruption and holding Kenya (and others) to account, then I suspect Kiprop will run no faster than 3:28 flat, even on the trampoline Monaco track. That means he doesn't break 3:29 anywhere else.

The current WR is so dirty anyway. I doubt anyone has actually broken 3:28.5 clean, which is about where the record should be.