2009 Pre Results: W-1500m [Burka 3:59.89; Barringer 3:59.90]

[Half Miler]

For me, this has become the most anticipated event of the meet.

Burka, of course, with last week's PR of 3:58.79.
Rowbury making her outdoor debut.
CWT fresh off her 4:03, eager to beat Ryan Fenton to 4:00!

Fantastic field with Alminova, Fernandez, Lagat, Donohue, Flanagan...

And of course, the continuing saga of Barringer vs. Willard.

Not since Suzy Favor Hamilton has the US dipped under 4:00 in this event. Tomorrow is as good a time as any for this to happen.

I'll take Burka in a squeaker over Willard and Rowbury, with all three right around 4 minutes.

[Half Miler]

Start list:

1500 METERS
Anna Alminova (Russia)
Shannon Rowbury
Gelete Burka (Ethiopia)
Nancy Lagat (Kenya)
Christin Wurth-Thomas
Nuria Fernandez (Spain)
Erin Donohue
Meskerem Assefa (Ethiopia)
Anna Willard
Jenny Barringer
Nikeya Green--pace
Shayne Culpepper
Shalane Flanagan
Treniere Clement

[Walt Murphy]

Re: Pre w1500

For me, this has become the most anticipated event of the meet..

couldn't agree more--it's going to be a very fast race.

[Half Miler]

Walt, are you involved with tv production for Pre this year?

[lovetorun]

Has Rowbury run an outdoor race this season...if she has, I'm not aware of it.

[Bruce Kritzler]

Rowbury has run a 5k.
Halfmiler, I agree with your predicted finish - Burka, Willard (4:01), Rowbury

[doug091463]

and barringer should break the 4:06 for 1500 ncaa record.

[Half Miler]

Rowbury also won (dominated, actually) the US Road Mile championships last month. She should be pretty fit.

[Walt Murphy]

Walt, are you involved with tv production for Pre this year?

yes

[Half Miler]

Cool.
If you mentioned that showing only head-on shots of the jumps does a disservice to fans, would it carry weight?

[3a]

I just find American 1500m gals so dull. They have been also rans for a decade...and even then it was Jacobs and her shady career up there. Even Favor Hamilton was falling before the finishing line etc.

but SURELY one of Barringer and Rowbury can stick it to the big gals this year. Consistently sub 4'01 is needed for that.

No one has actually owned this event for a while. Jamal kills the GP but blows it in majors. Soboleva looked to be unbeatable but was slapped with a ban. Tomashova won 3 majors in a row and was then banned. We have had global champs like Mérah-Benida, Ayhan, Szabo...a plethora of Russians like Gorolova, Yevdokimova and a whole host of banned team mates. The event is usually exciting because of it's close races etc, but what happened to the litany of sub 4's and the crowned queen of the mile? It seems we are settling for mediocrity. Slaney's record is from 1983!!! Come on ladies, step it up.

[Walt Murphy]

Cool.
If you mentioned that showing only head-on shots of the jumps does a disservice to fans, would it carry weight?

Don't know If I can do anything about today's show, but I'll work on that for the future. Part of the problem is the number of cameras available for each show. Today is especially tough, with the potential of six events going on at the same time inside the stadium.

[Walt Murphy]

Burka is looking for a 2:04-2:05 pace today

[Bruce Kritzler]

2:04 would be suicide. (woops, wrong thread)

[EPelle]

Rabbits at 2.05 would entail Burka, with better pacing this week, hitting the mark at 2.06-mid = 63-2.06-3.10-3.58 =WL at worse; 63-2.06-3.09-3.57 more likely.