¶ 2021 mOG 800: Emmanuel Korir (Kenya) 1:45.06

[Django]

The mentions of Peter Snell reminded me that I have a photo bought from T&F News ( and autographed by Snell) showing the pack about 110m from the finish of the 1960 800m, with Snell boxed in— and with a worried expression on his face! Just moments later, he burst free to his first gold medal.

[Haggis Boson]

I just watched the NBC commentary with the commentator talking about how clutch Murphy is because he is often at the back of the field then powers his way to the front. Even with 200m to go she was still saying the same thing. To be fair, there are 800m runners who used to succeed with such tactics. I remember Ereng and Konchellah. But those were 400m runners who later switched to the 800m. They had real speed. Konchellah ran 45.39 when he was 18.
Tuka also over-estimated his kick.

To me Konchella was the master of this approach.

[mungo man]

I just watched the NBC commentary with the commentator talking about how clutch Murphy is because he is often at the back of the field then powers his way to the front. Even with 200m to go she was still saying the same thing. To be fair, there are 800m runners who used to succeed with such tactics. I remember Ereng and Konchellah. But those were 400m runners who later switched to the 800m. They had real speed. Konchellah ran 45.39 when he was 18.
Tuka also over-estimated his kick.

[mungo man]

Does anyone know what happened to Amos in the final? I would say he choked but I have to assume something else is going on.
He beat Korir just a few weeks back.

[NotDutra5]

actually 9th. terrible tactics, kept getting bumped and pushers around so took the back and never made a move

He tried to make his typical move but when he went to hit the gas he had very little.

[Powell]

Lucky had little to do with that medal. He ran smart!

Which is exactly my point. For a rookie middle-distance runner he's showing incredible tactical awareness. Before the EIC he had no international experience whatsoever at 800 and he still ran the perfect race in the final.

[Atticus]

He did it again for the first 700 of the final. You can say he gets lucky every time, but I choose to call it a skill. I noticed a lot of top athletes do that sort of thing nowadays.

Lucky had little to do with that medal. He ran smart!

[Powell]

Or . . . he's been lucky in his short 800 career. It may bite him soon.

He did it again for the first 700 of the final. You can say he gets lucky every time, but I choose to call it a skill. I noticed a lot of top athletes do that sort of thing nowadays.

[TN1965]

Coe ran like a donkey that day.... that race should be required viewing for what not to do.

And you should add Peter's post race commentary to that.

[scottmitchell74]

Makes me appreciate 2012 all the more. I guess that spoiled me. Not every race is going to be a classic.

[catson52]

Not sure what your point is. Many top athletes are back in the pack early on, often boxed in. The clip from the 64 800 m final shows the end of the first lap - boxed in - then the top of the last turn, some 250 m later. The 1500 m was essentially a cake walk for Snell, winning by about 15 meters and obviously capable of going much faster. Finally his 1960 victory was driven by two factors: (a) four rounds including the final, favoring the strong runner and (b) bad tactics by Moens, who was called the master tactician, but never really won a big championship event.

[Conor Dary]

How about sitting back in the Oly Finals like Peter Snell? That devastating acceleration shown especially in the 1964 races.

Snell was boxed and let the field go by knowing he could go by them...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RK0woLEtQQA&pp=sAQA

[Conor Dary]

When a middle distance race is that slow, the best position to be in when kicking starts is the pole position (see Centrowitz 2016). The worst place to be is in the back of the pack.

Murphy acted like he was running against only Americans....you aren't going to come from behind that much with a top international field.

A mistake Centro learned in 2011.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=78867E...t=430s&pp=sAQA

[catson52]

meh. That's kind of just the way the 800 goes. Most unpredictable race unless you've got the talent of, say, Mu or Rudisha.

How about sitting back in the Oly Finals like Peter Snell? That devastating acceleration shown especially in the 1964 races.

[scottmitchell74]

When a middle distance race is that slow, the best position to be in when kicking starts is the pole position (see Centrowitz 2016). The worst place to be is in the back of the pack.

👍 Appreciate your Xs and Os. Makes watching even more fun.