Just wondering. I've seen a bunch closed in the 51's but I was just wondering if there have been any major races closed in sub 50 or close to it.
Just wondering. I've seen a bunch closed in the 51's but I was just wondering if there have been any major races closed in sub 50 or close to it.
In 1992 in the olympic 1500m fermin cacho closed in 50.4 albeit off a slow pace
These last laps are given in approximate terms since there often isn't complete agreement on splits and some of them are hand timed anyway:
In 1,500s, Alex Kipchirchir apparently went 49-mid/high for the last lap to win the 2006 World Cup (a couple of others may have been sub-51 in that race), Jose Luis "Speedy" Gonzalez and Steve Cram ran 50-low to go 1-2 in the 1987 European Cup, Fermin Cacho (gold) and Rashid el Basir (bronze) closed in 50-mid in the 1992 OG final, Nourredine Morceli went 50-mid in the 1993 Worlds, Cram ran 50-high in the 1986 Euro, and Jim Ryun finished off in 50-high in the US vs. W. Germany meet way back in 1967 (this split is highly unofficial, but there's no question the last 300 was smoking fast). I think Said Aouita also once ran sub-51 in a 3:34-ish 1,500 but can't remember when.
In longer distance races, Abraham Chebii closed in 50-high in a slow (8:33) 3,000 in the 2002 Grand Prix Final.
Miruts Yifter supposedly ran 50-point at the end of a slow-ish 10,000 once, but there doesn't seem to be any official word on this. The quickest last lap I can remember in a distance race with a world-class final time was Bernard Lagat's 51-high at the end of a 12:59 5,000.
Sweet Nell Fenwick wrote:
Miruts Yifter supposedly ran 50-point at the end of a slow-ish 10,000 once, but there doesn't seem to be any official word on this. The quickest last lap I can remember in a distance race with a world-class final time was Bernard Lagat's 51-high at the end of a 12:59 5,000.
As far as I know, Yifter never has finished a 10k in 50.x, not even close. I doubt even sub 53.
Video of Jim Ryun's run?
One of 'em. Aouita supposedly broke 50 in a similarly slow 1500. Cram was not at his best in 1987, btw.
its probably Rudisha