Man, the 800m sucks this year.

*men's 800m

Women's 8 has been great

jeff the gambling addict wrote:

*men's 800m

Women's 8 has been great

It's okay, in the title he refers to man, as in all men.

would you say you have been watching it on pure hate?

We have had about 14 sub 1:44s and 1 sub 1:43. 2019 we had 13 sub 1:44s with only 3 sub 1:43s. 2018 9nly 10 sub 1:44s with only 2 sub 1:43s. 2017 had only 5 sub 1:44s. 2016 had 14 sub 1:44s and 4 sub 1:43s.

The point is the only disappointing thing in comparison to recent times is that the 2 biggest events of the year were won in slower times and the best times came away from the major championships.

Otherwise, in terms of times run, it is similar or even better than some recent times.

Eight-hundred metre men, 2021 did not pass 600m split in 1:14.xx &/or 700m split in 1:26.xx. Is that your issue? Men raced 800m to win.

You can still go, run, compete and make it great again. You're the type of fence sitters who can't do anything when tasked with the run but a bunch of pessimists who can't do anything meaningful.

What's your pb for 800M again? Huuuh!

mbaihaule@gmail.com

wrote:

You can still go, run, compete and make it great again. You're the type of fence sitters who can't do anything when tasked with the run but a bunch of pessimists who can't do anything meaningful.

What's your pb for 800M again? Huuuh!

I’ve run a quick 800. But I’m not sure what that has to do with this?

The 8 as an event is simply more enjoyable when run fast. I don’t always feel the same for the 1500, however.

jeff the gambling addict wrote:

*men's 800m

Women's 8 has been great

Eh. A supposed off year on the men’s side still features a dozen or more men running world class times. On the women’s side, you have a 19 year old who is completely dominating the world and then a 19 year old party girl who takes silver. Reekie and the girl who won Olys in 16 are the only other major talents.

The depth of men’s athletics make it seem less impressive when in fact there is just far more elite competition.

jeff the gambling addict wrote:

2021 was a total off-year for the 800. Shame, it used to be one of my favorite events to tune into, and these days I'm content just looking at results and skipping the video entirely.

No I kind of agree with you.

I don't think just listing "times under 1.44 and 1.43" is a measure of anything - hypothetically each race could be won in 1.42 by a second and a half and still not be exciting.

I think what I have witnessed are a lot of races with very few people in contention no matter how fast and that is strange. The Olympic final was the microcosm of this - not a fast race and really the guys should have been lining up across the track in the final 80m similar to Sydney in 2000, and yet the first 3 were kind of comfortably separated in the end.

If you look at the fastest time run this season, historically it's not great but there have been other seasons where they didn't even break 1.43 (2017 and 2020) - so it can't really be that.

I hate to say it but Emmanuel Korir just isn't good to watch and neither is Rotich and they have been the two best guys this season. Why aren't they good to watch? The weird jerky form, they don't really have any charisma (in the way Rudisha had) - it's a tough one to explain but it is what it is.

So agree, very average year despite being an Olympic year.

rojo togurt wrote:

jeff the gambling addict wrote:

*men's 800m

Women's 8 has been great

Eh. A supposed off year on the men’s side still features a dozen or more men running world class times. On the women’s side, you have a 19 year old who is completely dominating the world and then a 19 year old party girl who takes silver. Reekie and the girl who won Olys in 16 are the only other major talents.

The depth of men’s athletics make it seem less impressive when in fact there is just far more elite competition.

What makes you think keely is a party girl?

2012 was the previous best Olympic year in terms of sub 1:45 performances with 35 different athletes

In 2021 we’ve had 55 different athletes break 1:45 and 1:44.35 wasn’t even quick enough to make the Olympic final (fastest non qualifying time ever). Keeping in mind we also saw the quickest heat time ever with 1:43.75.

So while the peak may be a little down on previous year, the over all quality is well and truly at an all time high.

I think we’ll have at least 6 athletes run 1;42 next season.

Yes not really a weak year at all to me. It’s a year without a true front runner. The top dogs (Korir, Rotich) have utter faith in their finishing speed and both are tactically savvy (Korir moreso). Korir in 2018 was a force chasing the pacers but he is the best in the world in a fast-closing race and it’s working for him. Lopez and Arop are very good athletes who couldn’t even make the Olympic final. It’s been more of a year for racing than time-trialing as Monaco’s one of the few races where the pack went with a fast pace.

THOUGHTSLEADER wrote:

Yes not really a weak year at all to me. It’s a year without a true front runner. The top dogs (Korir, Rotich) have utter faith in their finishing speed and both are tactically savvy (Korir moreso). Korir in 2018 was a force chasing the pacers but he is the best in the world in a fast-closing race and it’s working for him. Lopez and Arop are very good athletes who couldn’t even make the Olympic final. It’s been more of a year for racing than time-trialing as Monaco’s one of the few races where the pack went with a fast pace.

I think most of the disappointment comes from the US. Under better circumstances I think we could have seen 2 Americans on the podium, but instead we got an injured brazier, a burnt out hoppel, a Murphy running at 90% at the olympics cause of the hamstring tweak, and jewitt falling. The US had the potential to own the 800m this year, but we ended up with disappointment and mediocrity due to circumstance, which was unfortunate.

I think you summarized perfectly. I have no idea why so many here are obsessed with time. The races were not interesting to watch due to the cast and the style. Nothing was dependable except it wouldn't be compelling. Even when it separates to 2 or 3 they are a boring 2 or 3 and it's never truly up for grabs in the final meters.

This is the only event I didn't look forward to this year. Even yesterday as I looked at the clock I realized there had to be something remaining before the two 400 hurdles races at Diamond League finals. Then it hit me. We haven't seen the 800s. Great. That means I have to wade through another tedious men's 800. At least Keely Hodgkinson's backside prevailed.

No question the lack of a dependable elite frontrunner really regulated the intrigue of this race. I mentioned a few weeks ago that none of the 800s unfold similarly.... well other than the Kenyans at finish. It would have been markedly more interesting if Brazier and/or Jewitt had been prominent in all the international events. Or if the Canadian became more bold.

To think that at one point my only complaint was Amos' form down the stretch. This year that would have been glorious.

No Brazier. Amos disappeared.

You beat me to the post! I was so disappointed in it this year and the Olympics was a boring race.

I typically love the 800. Bad year.

runn wrote:

You beat me to the post! I was so disappointed in it this year and the Olympics was a boring race.

I typically love the 800. Bad year.

There are only two possible reasons for your opinion:

1) You only like fast TT type 800m races;

2) None of the men you like did well.

Men's 800m final was not boring. Final 300m, sub-38. With 150m to go, we had no idea who was going to win. With 100m to go, at least 1/2 a dozen men had an opportunity to medal.

Eight-hundred metres T&F athletes use very similar energy system as 200m freestyle swimmers. If you like fast times, the only was to guarantee 800m WR will be threatened in semi-finals and finals as occurs with swimming, make 800m runners race in their lane the entire race.

There’s a surprising number of fans like this…the 2019 WCs must’ve been great for them despite the last 250 not being exciting at all racing-wise aside from Braziers time.

jeff the gambling addict wrote:

2021 was a total off-year for the 800. Shame, it used to be one of my favorite events to tune into, and these days I'm content just looking at results and skipping the video entirely.

There was a stack of new talent emerging. Unfortunately, two of the Brits had misfortune - Burgin getting injured again early season and Oliver Dustin having a false doping positive splashed all over the newspapers.

Korir and Rotich benefitted from lack of testing during the pandemic, but other than that, it was an exciting, open year that bodes well for the future.