Sorry if this has been discussed before. What are the main reasons the 4x800 has not been added to collegiate meets and the Olympics? I feel like the mid distance guys get left out. The event wouldn’t add that much time to the meet. It would be interesting to see 400 guys move up to the 800 and 1500 guys move down to the 800. Seems like there would be a lot of strategy with the lineup. I don’t think the race waters down any other events. What’s the deal?
Events are being eliminated, not added. I expect the Olympics to follow the lead of the Diamond League.
I don't know the reason why/why not... but as a 400/800 guy in high school and college, to open and close a meet with the 4x8 and 4x4, respectively? that's the way it should be:-)
Something like this:
4x8 is a much better idea than a co-ed 4x4.
Olympic 4x8 would be awesome.
Would America be able to medal if an Olympic 4x800 took place?
TheXCrunner wrote:
Would America be able to medal if an Olympic 4x800 took place?
Both American teams would be the prohibitive favorites.
America had 3 men in the 800m final at the last world championships, including the World Champion in Brazier. Hoppel was 4th and Murphy was an has a bronze in the 800 from 2016. Brannon Kidder made it to the semi-final and nearly qualified for the final.
America had 3 women in the 800m final at the 2019 world championships as well. Rogers was 2nd and Wilson was 3rd. Hannah Green did not make it out of the heats but she won the Diamond league final so she's legit too.
For the Olympics, the 4 x 800 would lack competitive depth and be a scheduling nightmare.
To be consistent with the rest of the relays you would need to allow 24 teams to qualify and run 3 prelim heats taking top two 2 from each heat plus next 2 fastest as time qualifiers. The world record for the 4 x 800 is 7:02. Set the qualifying mark at 7:20 and how many countries could achieve that mark given a two year window? Kenya and the US for sure. Probably UK, Australia, New Zealand,Ireland, Canada, Uganda, Ethiopia, Poland, France, and Russia. Not Many more outside of that. If you changed event to a straight 8 team final taking top teams by time that would help but would be a little odd for Olympics.
The best teams on paper would almost certainly be Kenya and the US. However, the best 800 meter runners likely wouldn’t participate in relay because they would be smoked from 3 rounds in the open 800.
Even if you got 8 decent teams with a few stars mixed in it probably wouldn’t be that exciting. 4 x 800s at world relay events are generally a snooze fest with blow out wins. It would be awesome to see 5 teams take the bell within ten yards of each other but it just doesn’t happen very often.
For the NCAAs, the 4x800 makes more sense but I think it would have to be an 8 team finals only field. That said, I do think they should eliminate either the 5k or 10k. To be honest, I think a road 8k (50 man field) with final 400 on the track would be more exciting than either the 5k or 10k. They can show the race on the stadium screen while other events are ongoing then have a big stadium entrance for the finish. Have primes at 3k ( 2pts and 1 pt) and 5k (4 and 2 points)
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Like some others, 4xmile would be awesome and CC in the Winter Olympics
debby downer wrote:
For the Olympics, the 4 x 800 would lack competitive depth and be a scheduling nightmare.
To be consistent with the rest of the relays you would need to allow 24 teams to qualify and run 3 prelim heats taking top two 2 from each heat plus next 2 fastest as time qualifiers. The world record for the 4 x 800 is 7:02. Set the qualifying mark at 7:20 and how many countries could achieve that mark given a two year window? Kenya and the US for sure. Probably UK, Australia, New Zealand,Ireland, Canada, Uganda, Ethiopia, Poland, France, and Russia. Not Many more outside of that. If you changed event to a straight 8 team final taking top teams by time that would help but would be a little odd for Olympics.
The best teams on paper would almost certainly be Kenya and the US. However, the best 800 meter runners likely wouldn’t participate in relay because they would be smoked from 3 rounds in the open 800.
Even if you got 8 decent teams with a few stars mixed in it probably wouldn’t be that exciting. 4 x 800s at world relay events are generally a snooze fest with blow out wins. It would be awesome to see 5 teams take the bell within ten yards of each other but it just doesn’t happen very often.
For the NCAAs, the 4x800 makes more sense but I think it would have to be an 8 team finals only field. That said, I do think they should eliminate either the 5k or 10k. To be honest, I think a road 8k (50 man field) with final 400 on the track would be more exciting than either the 5k or 10k. They can show the race on the stadium screen while other events are ongoing then have a big stadium entrance for the finish. Have primes at 3k ( 2pts and 1 pt) and 5k (4 and 2 points)
The idea of an 8K that finishes on the track is odd and would not be considered exciting to most people.
In curious as to whether you competed in school. I ran enough to appreciate the incredible paces the elites run in the 5 or 10K. There have been many great 5 and 10K races in the Olympics. You believe watching the finish of a road 8K would be more exciting than watching Mo and Rupp go 1-2 in London?
debby downer wrote:
For the Olympics, the 4 x 800 would lack competitive depth and be a scheduling nightmare.
To be consistent with the rest of the relays you would need to allow 24 teams to qualify and run 3 prelim heats taking top two 2 from each heat plus next 2 fastest as time qualifiers. The world record for the 4 x 800 is 7:02. Set the qualifying mark at 7:20 and how many countries could achieve that mark given a two year window? Kenya and the US for sure. Probably UK, Australia, New Zealand,Ireland, Canada, Uganda, Ethiopia, Poland, France, and Russia. Not Many more outside of that. If you changed event to a straight 8 team final taking top teams by time that would help but would be a little odd for Olympics.
The best teams on paper would almost certainly be Kenya and the US. However, the best 800 meter runners likely wouldn’t participate in relay because they would be smoked from 3 rounds in the open 800.
Even if you got 8 decent teams with a few stars mixed in it probably wouldn’t be that exciting. 4 x 800s at world relay events are generally a snooze fest with blow out wins. It would be awesome to see 5 teams take the bell within ten yards of each other but it just doesn’t happen very often.
For the NCAAs, the 4x800 makes more sense but I think it would have to be an 8 team finals only field. That said, I do think they should eliminate either the 5k or 10k. To be honest, I think a road 8k (50 man field) with final 400 on the track would be more exciting than either the 5k or 10k. They can show the race on the stadium screen while other events are ongoing then have a big stadium entrance for the finish. Have primes at 3k ( 2pts and 1 pt) and 5k (4 and 2 points)
I'm tired of the Olympics being participatory. We don't need people in the 10k final that are getting lapped. The 5k should be a straight final w/ 20 runners. We can easily cut out a round of the 800 and 1500 and go semi's to finals.
You can bring runners to just run the prelims of a 4x8 relay, they do it in the 4x4 and 4x1. Or screw it, just one section of 8 as a final for a 4x8.
I would be all for it there’s nothing better than watching a competitive 4x8
4x8 in the Olympics for sure!!!
If the rounds are an issue just take the top 10 countries or something