Hodgkinson was 4th in Stockholm last year, only to go on to Olympic silver a few weeks later, almost 2 seconds faster.
Her times are on a par to last year so nothing to suggest she shouldn't be in high 1.55 shape again come Eugene, which should almost certainly be good for a medal of some kind
They will be in a really heavy training block right now, prior to tapering. I wouldn't read too much into the results of a meet that's the last before the big one.
can't be overstated that Mu ran a 1:23 600m at age 16
It can be overstated. It says more about her 400 than her 800 capability. A lot of fast 400-types could run near that. The 800 is what stops the event simply being a long sprint.
Remember this is also the case because US/UK ousted the prime track & field contender-Russia. The recent Olympics & WCs will have an asterisk as long as Russia is out.
It's just ignorance of athletes from other countries. In Europe, we don't give too much attention to school age athletes, especially in track and field. There's no LRC style message board for European school kids, and no one keeps track of secondary school records. It's all about the pro level (see Jakob's comments when asked about US high schoolers running well). See how much attention Cade Flatt gets for running 1:46 compared to Max Burgin who was running 1:44 at the same age.
Although Hodgkinson's times are all there on the internet for anyone to research before they make a claim that this consistently talented young athlete supported by British Athletics for many years and coached by Jenny Meadows and her husband "came out of nowhere".
Agree that perving over school age athletes is considered somewhat creepy outside the US.
Its also not a battle between skin colour. Its a battle between athletes.
Yes, you can find times for young athletes (everything is on Power of 10 in the UK), but no one knows those times off the top of their head. I could go to any track meet in the UK and I'd struggle to find a hardcore fan or journalist that knew the 800m school records. School runners in the US are minor celebrities which doesn't happen elsewhere, other than Jakob
Sure, it might seem like too great a gap between Mu and Wilson given how close the U.S. final was, but that was a great race for Wilson and a lukewarm one for Mu. Similarly, while Wilson ran better at USAs than Hodgkinson in Stockholm, that’s just one race apiece and I think we’d all take Hodgkinson based on their last 12 months’ bodies of work.
Seems fair to me. I’d note that Rogers is under a lot of pressure from the Ethiopians Welteji and Hailu who are in good form.
You have to give Keely the benefit of the doubt but she’s going to have to be realistic about her race plan and run a smarter race than she did in Stockholm.
I know many of you are not bagging on Keely but it it always humorous to open a thread on this forum and see how many are. Those doing the bagging are primarily male. Some are young but the majority are probably 30+ in age. You are bagging on a 20 year old that could probably beat 99.9% of you over 800 meters even if she gave you a 25 meter heard start.
What was up with the pacer? First she somehow got behind at the start and had to run through the field impeding Moraa, and then she got in the way again when she pulled to the side and cut Moraa off again.
Sure, it might seem like too great a gap between Mu and Wilson given how close the U.S. final was, but that was a great race for Wilson and a lukewarm one for Mu. Similarly, while Wilson ran better at USAs than Hodgkinson in Stockholm, that’s just one race apiece and I think we’d all take Hodgkinson based on their last 12 months’ bodies of work.
Except Wilson ran 1:57 after two rounds and Hodgkinson ran hers fresh. Advantage: Wilson. That said, I don't think all the medal favorites will make the final considering the 3+ or even 2+ spots in the rounds.
Hodgkinson ran her 1:55.88 NR after rounds. Rogers ran her 1:56.81 PB after rounds. Rudisha ran the 1:40.91 WR after rounds. Brazier ran his 1:42.34 AR after rounds. Vebjorn Rodal ran 1:42.58 after rounds. Ralph Doubell equaled the 800 WR after rounds. Alberto Juantorena broke the 800 WR after rounds. Pamela Jelimo ran 1:54.87 after rounds. The British, American and Canadian women’s 1500 records were all run after rounds. Ingebrigtsen ran his 3:28.32 AR after rounds. Herb Elliott smashed the 1500 WR after rounds. Josh Kerr ran 3:29.05 after rounds. El Guerrouj ran 3:27.65 after rounds. Sifan Hassan ran 3:51.95 after rounds and winning the 10k gold.
Maybe rounds aren’t too negatively impactful for a well trained mid distance runner.
Hodgkinson ran her 1:55.88 NR after rounds. Rogers ran her 1:56.81 PB after rounds. Rudisha ran the 1:40.91 WR after rounds. Brazier ran his 1:42.34 AR after rounds. Vebjorn Rodal ran 1:42.58 after rounds. Ralph Doubell equaled the 800 WR after rounds. Alberto Juantorena broke the 800 WR after rounds. Pamela Jelimo ran 1:54.87 after rounds. The British, American and Canadian women’s 1500 records were all run after rounds. Ingebrigtsen ran his 3:28.32 AR after rounds. Herb Elliott smashed the 1500 WR after rounds. Josh Kerr ran 3:29.05 after rounds. El Guerrouj ran 3:27.65 after rounds. Sifan Hassan ran 3:51.95 after rounds and winning the 10k gold.
Maybe rounds aren’t too negatively impactful for a well trained mid distance runner.
Last year was uniquely generous with 2 days of rest between the semis and finals. In general, it’s a good point though. I do think for Mu at least we can generally expect her SB to not be in the final of a championship 800m. She has to set the pace and run strategically so she can shift gears with 150 to go. She can exceed her times with a pacemaker leading her out 500 meters. Meanwhile if Keely/Ajee/Raevyn get a clean run and peak properly they have a nice setup to run a SB/PB.
Remember this is also the case because US/UK ousted the prime track & field contender-Russia. The recent Olympics & WCs will have an asterisk as long as Russia is out.
The asterisk means the number of dopers has been reduced by the ban.
So how many 400 runners at that age bother to run the event? If 600 speed was the decisive factor it is unlikely that runners like Snell and even Coe would have been the wr holders over the half and Ovett wouldn't have been an Olympic champion in the 800. Cram ran 1.42.8 for the 800, but I doubt his 600 speed would have been in the same class. There is a reason why the 800 is categorised as a middle distance event and not a sprint. The most important time to judge Mu by is her 1.55.
What was up with the pacer? First she somehow got behind at the start and had to run through the field impeding Moraa, and then she got in the way again when she pulled to the side and cut Moraa off again.
You mean Sarah Billings (Aus) whose pbs are 54.39 and 2:03.28 and was chosen to pace Mary Moraa whose pbs are 50.84/1:57.45? Easy - she is TOO SLOW!!
There are 800 runners whose chief asset has been their speed. But it is rare that the best in the event are the fastest in terms of bare speed as well as having the most endurance. The event requires that mix. The endurance types are typically also 1500/miler runners. None of the top women currently are, while it has often been a feature of the men in the past - although less since the 90's.
Remember this is also the case because US/UK ousted the prime track & field contender-Russia. The recent Olympics & WCs will have an asterisk as long as Russia is out.
The asterisk means the number of dopers has been reduced by the ban.
The asterisk means dopers have been banned from only one country while letting dopers from all other countries compete.
All athletes running in the women's category get tested for their testosterone levels. If Moraa was male she would have been kicked out of the 800 already.
It's very dangerous to have individuals, like poster 'Higher knowledge', in society who feel threatened by people who do not look like themselves; as if the billions of people on this plant can only look like the 4 people in their house.
