Mutola whupped by some unknown Kenyan !!!

[Andrea_T]

The irony is, however, that Eldy commented on her last year when she broke the NR:

My word, you have a good memory. Keeping an eye on that topic too, or use your initiative and do a search?
:P

[nevetsllim]

The Kenyan women definitely have the genes to do well at 800 and I hope this inpires more of them to focus on the event. Anyhow, where´d Mutola get all those muscles :?:

Christ-have you just noticed? You make it sound like she was one skinny 800m gal and was suddenly all muscular.

Maria Mutola has always been strong and muscular. I have her 800m heat from Seoul and she was very muscular then.

[runningscotsman]

The Kenyan women definitely have the genes to do well at 800 and I hope this inpires more of them to focus on the event. Anyhow, where´d Mutola get all those muscles :?:

[deuch]

Re: Mutola whupped by some unknown Kenyan !!!

mutola soundly thrashed by some skinny, unknown kenyan who charged past a flailing mutola in the stretch, to win it in 1'57+

kenya found a lady 800m runner !!!

Last years fastest times put Janeth Jepkosgei sixth behind five russians. Mutola was thirteenth!
You might expect some development from the younger runner so in a fast race the result should not be in doubt.
Perhaps Mutolas only chance was to physically intimidate the thinner runner but Jepkosgei ran behind her while Mutola and Kenia Sinclair ran up front.

[ozvault]

As far as "unknowns" are concerned, how many regulars here knew of Celene Laporte of Seychelles? She won the bronze medal in the long jump (losing the silver on a countback) in 6.57, beating Anju Bobby George, Elva Goulbourne and Jade Johnson in the process.

[huh?]

. . . most people subtract a bit off Nairobi times (a lot in 10K) in working out who is ready.

Don't you mean they add something to the Nairobi times in the distance races. If you subtract a bit (or a lot) from the time, you make it faster.

[Pego]

Mutola's best days are behind her. She'll never run better than 1:56.5 again. You heard it here. She's now one of the older women in the game, and the training takes a bigger toll on you the older you get.

Kurt

I agree. IMHO, her WI gold was her swan song.

[mike renfro]

I find it instructive never to use the word "unknown" (at least in the sense of "surprise") in the same sentence with "Kenyan" when it comes to running. If they're good enough to make an international team, by definition it means they pack the gears to challenge for the front.

Too true, if they made it through the trials you know they have skills... much like a US sprinter

But it can be even more deceiving in Kenya because of the altitude factor. And American sprinter will always have a pretty decent time to his credit. But an "unknown" Kenyan can make the team with a slow time in the steeple/5/10 in Nairobi. Tricky stuff!

True, but most people subtract a bit off Nairobi times (a lot in 10K) in working out who is ready.

[eldrick]

I think elders is pulling our leg... once a Kenyan, always....

the thing is, shoud we really be surprised by eventually finding a quick kenyan 800 woman ?

they after all have the same physiology/talent/etc ( but maybe not as yet shown the same encouragement ) as the men who can run 1'41.1, 1'42.2 , 1'42.3, 1'42.6 , 1'42.6 , 1'42.7 , 1'42.9 , 1'42.9 & that doesn't include 1 og champ & 1 wc who both failed to break 1'43 in their careers , but looked like low-mid 1'42 guyz on their championship days ( in fact i remember coe being as quoted as saying that the konchellah who so majestically won the '87 wc "looks to be the man to break my wr" )

if they do eventually get the top talent & train them properly, i probably woudn't be surprised to see 1'54's & 1'55's within a few years

[gh]

I find it instructive never to use the word "unknown" (at least in the sense of "surprise") in the same sentence with "Kenyan" when it comes to running. If they're good enough to make an international team, by definition it means they pack the gears to challenge for the front.

Too true, if they made it through the trials you know they have skills... much like a US sprinter

But it can be even more deceiving in Kenya because of the altitude factor. And American sprinter will always have a pretty decent time to his credit. But an "unknown" Kenyan can make the team with a slow time in the steeple/5/10 in Nairobi. Tricky stuff!

[jla]

Actually Jepkosgei had a very impressive last part of last summer, not just one fast race. Unfortunately for her she got into top form too late to be selected for Helsinki, otherwise she would probably have featured in the final there.
Because just a few days later in Zurich she ran an extremely impressive 1:59 (won by two seconds) in a U23 race before the main programme (where Calatayud won the highly competitive A race also in 1:59).
After Zurich Jepkosgei won in Rieti in another 1:59 defeating i.a. Kotlyarova and Sinclair before recording that 1:57 in Rovereto where she won by three full seconds!
Her lack of "big time" experience, however, showed up in Berlin (ISTAF) where she - in her first ever match-up with "all" the best - just followed a pace much too slow to be to her likening. World Champion Calatayud of course won convincingly in the finishing sprint but Jepkosgei still was only just beaten into 4th by WCh 3rd Andrianova and WCh 5th Martinez.
But the Commonwealth final obviously was a fairly fast race from the start and as such it suited Jepkosgei perfectly. So although she wasn't the favourite the outcome was not that big a surprise if you consider last August/September.

[EPelle]

I think elders is pulling our leg... once a Kenyan, always....

[bad hammy]

OK, Eldy made a mistake. BFD. Move on, folks, there is nothing to see here . . .

[Jon]

The irony is, however, that Eldy commented on her last year when she broke the NR:

http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/discus ... 284#219284

[knockout]

I find it instructive never to use the word "unknown" (at least in the sense of "surprise") in the same sentence with "Kenyan" when it comes to running. If they're good enough to make an international team, by definition it means they pack the gears to challenge for the front.

Too true, if they made it through the trials you know they have skills... much like a US sprinter