Men's 800m misc stats

[Cyril]

Gray was THE MAN. I knew he was around a long time and running great times into his mid 30s but I didn't realize just how amazing he was!

Thanks Pela2.

[26mi235]

I should have entered; I thought that I had no chance, but between Wilson K and Gray and Zurich I might have wracked up 11 point, plus one for Bruxelles.

[catson52]

quote
Best 20-average (top-5 athletes)
(all sub 1:44)

1 1:42.36 Wilson Kipketer
2 1:43.37 Johnny Gray
3 1:43.51 Wilfred Bungei
4 1:43.64 Hezekiél Sepeng
5 1:43.69 Joaquim Carvalho Cruz
5 1:43.69 André Bucher
--------------------------
quote

The best 10 average for Kipketer is a shade under 1:42.00, a time bettered only twice in history, Coe in 1981 and Cruz in 1984.

[deanouk]

Thanks for that Pela2. Fascinating stuff!
Just 1 question; how reliable are the D.O.B of some of the African athletes? I've seen Kipketer's given in most places as 12.12.72 and others as 1970!? He won the Danish junior title in 1991, which if the d.o.b you are working from is correct, means he was 20!
I know you can only work with facts you are given, but would be interested to know if anyone can through light on the matter? I seem to remember there was a similar problem with Boit and Yifter in the early 80's.

[pela2]

Oldest performer
39 years, 1 month, 6 days - Johnny Gray, 1:45.38 in Winnipeg
36 years, 7 months, 14 days - Osmar Barbosa dos Santos, 1:45.36 in Torino
35 years, 11 months, 1 day - David Kiptoo Singoei, 1:45.74 in Eugene
35 years, 2 months, 9 days - Stanley Redwine, 1:45.68 in Atlanta
34 years, 6 months, 8 days - William Tanui, 1:45.20 in Rieti
34 years, 1 month, 22 days - José Luis Barbosa, 1:45.78 in Maia

Hi Pela2!
Congrats on some great stats. Have you compiled a similar list above for the eldest sub 1:45 and sub 1:44 performers? If so, would love to see them, please!

sure

oldest sub 1:44

36 years and 24 days - Johnny Gray in Durham 1996-07-13 1:43.93
34 years, 1 month, 9 days - David Kiptoo Singoei in Monaco 1999-08-04 1:43.85
33 years, 8 months, 24 days - Wilson Kipketer in Rieti 2004-09-05 1:43.89
32 years, 11 months - Sebastian Coe in Bern 1989-08-29 1:43.38
32 years, 10 months, 2 days - Paul Ruto in Rieti 1993-09-05 1:43.92
31 years, 9 months, 11 days - Benyounès Lahlou in Zürich 1996-08-14 1:43.96

oldest sub 1:45
37 years and 20 days - Johnny Gray in Linz 1997-07-09 1:44.56
35 years, 1 month, 23 days - David Kiptoo Singoei in Monaco 2000-08-18 1:44.77
33 years, 8 months, 24 days - Wilson Kipketer in Rieti 2004-09-05 1:43.89
33 years, 6 months, 10 days - Alberto Juantorena in Firenze 1984-06-13 1:44.88
33 years, 2 months, 28 days - José Luis Barbosa in Göteborg 1994-08-24 1:44.75
32 years, 11 months - Sebastian Coe in Bern 1989-08-29 1:43.38
32 years, 10 months, 2 days - Paul Ruto in Rieti 1993-09-05 1:43.92
32 years, 6 months, 10 days - William Tanui in Rieti 1996-09-01 1:44.55
32 years, 6 months, 8 days - Mike Boit in Lausanne 1981-07-14 1:44.49
32 years, 3 months, 17 days - William Yiampoy in Berlin 2006-09-03 1:44.91
32 years, 3 months, 8 days - Patrick Konchellah in Oslo 2000-07-28 1:44.87

[deanouk]

Oldest performer
39 years, 1 month, 6 days - Johnny Gray, 1:45.38 in Winnipeg
36 years, 7 months, 14 days - Osmar Barbosa dos Santos, 1:45.36 in Torino
35 years, 11 months, 1 day - David Kiptoo Singoei, 1:45.74 in Eugene
35 years, 2 months, 9 days - Stanley Redwine, 1:45.68 in Atlanta
34 years, 6 months, 8 days - William Tanui, 1:45.20 in Rieti
34 years, 1 month, 22 days - José Luis Barbosa, 1:45.78 in Maia

Hi Pela2!
Congrats on some great stats. Have you compiled a similar list above for the eldest sub 1:45 and sub 1:44 performers? If so, would love to see them, please!

[deanouk]

Eldrik quoted: - knock off ~ 1s for not having a pacer to reduce drag for initial 400m

- knock off ~ 1s for difference between indoor/outdoor tracks over 800m

Would there be much if any drag indoors where there would be no wind or elemental affects!?

Also, not sure whether Kipketer's run was on a 200m track, but I would think that in this day and age there wouldn't be much difference between the speed of tracks indoors and out! Of course running extra bends on a 200m track would slow the time down marginally, but wouldn't have thought it would be worth 1 second!

[EPelle]

Excellent work, pela2!

[pela2]

Other interesting stats
489 performers with 4821 performances

Most sub 1:46 /Season

By athlete
17
Mike Boit 1977
David Kiptoo Singoei 1996
Wilfred Bungei 2004
16
Hezekiél Sepeng 1999
Joseph Mutua Mwengi 2003
15
Sammy Kibet Langat 1995
Wilfred Bungei 2003
14
José Luis Barbosa 1991
Johnny Gray 1992
Nixon Kiprotich 1992
Norberto Téllez 1996
Wilson Kipketer 1997
William Yiampoy 2004


Total
1996 265
2004 234
2003 228
1999 221
2001 212
1997 210
2006 207
2000 204

Oldest performer
39 years, 1 month, 6 days - Johnny Gray, 1:45.38 in Winnipeg
36 years, 7 months, 14 days - Osmar Barbosa dos Santos, 1:45.36 in Torino
35 years, 11 months, 1 day - David Kiptoo Singoei, 1:45.74 in Eugene
35 years, 2 months, 9 days - Stanley Redwine, 1:45.68 in Atlanta
34 years, 6 months, 8 days - William Tanui, 1:45.20 in Rieti
34 years, 1 month, 22 days - José Luis Barbosa, 1:45.78 in Maia


Best time for athlete with only 1 sub 1:46 time
1:44.49 Timothy Kiptanui 2004
1:44.58 Yeimar López 2007
1:44.84 Anatoliy Makarevich 1992
1:44.94 Kevin Hicks 2005
1:44.98 Cornelius Chirchir 2001
1:44.98 Graham Davidson 2003
1:45.03 Shaun Abrahams 2000
1:45.05 Matthew Yates 1992
1:45.05 Marco Chiavarini 1995
1:45.08 Abdoulaye Wagne 2003
1:45.09 Holger Böttcher 1989
1:45.10 Richard Hill 2006

[pela2]

Name the 3 athletes with most performances

Johnny Gray 125
Wilson Kipketer 99
Hezekiél Sepeng 96
-----------------------
José Luis Barbosa 93
Wilfred Bungei 91
William Yiampoy 73
David Kiptoo Singoei 68
Yuriy Borzakovskiy 68
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi 64


Longest timespan between first and 'last' performance

17 years and 28 days - Johnny Gray from 1982 in Durham to 1999 in Winnipeg
14 years, 1 month, 25 days - Wilson Kipketer from 1990 in Nairobi to 2004 in Nancy
13 years, 11 months, 6 days - James Robinson from 1974 in Westwood to 1988 in San Jose
12 years, 2 months, 4 days - José Luis Barbosa from 1983 in Les Abymes to 1995 in Maia
12 years, 1 month, 21 days - Hezekiél Sepeng from 1993 in Potchefstroom to 2005 in Durban
12 years, 1 month, 5 days - Mark Everett from 1988 in Tampa to 2000 in Sacramento
12 years and 6 days - Sebastian Coe from 1977 in London to 1989 in London
12 years - Stanley Redwine from 1984 in Los Angeles to 1996 in Atlanta
10 years, 10 months, 11 days - Willi Wülbeck from 1975 in Durham to 1986 in Aachen
10 years, 2 months, 27 days - Andrea Longo from 1996 in Roma to 2006 in Padova
10 years, 1 month, 15 days - Arthémon Hatungimana from 1994 in Annecy to 2004 in Rovereto
10 years, 1 month, 11 days - Piotr Piekarski from 1985 in Bydgoszcz to 1995 in Roma
10 years and 19 days - André Bucher from 1995 in Zürich to 2005 in Berlin

Cities with most performances (top-5)
Zürich 335
Oslo 173
Bruxelles 160
Rieti 155
Nairobi 154!
-----------
Roma 152
Berlin 135
Lausanne 132
Monaco 128
London 122

Best 20-average (top-5 athletes)
(all sub 1:44)

1 1:42.36 Wilson Kipketer
2 1:43.37 Johnny Gray
3 1:43.51 Wilfred Bungei
4 1:43.64 Hezekiél Sepeng
5 1:43.69 Joaquim Carvalho Cruz
5 1:43.69 André Bucher
--------------------------
7 1:43.72 Japheth Kimutai
8 1:43.88 Sebastian Coe
9 1:43.89 Yuriy Borzakovskiy
10 1:43.91 Mbulaeni Mulaudzi
11 1:43.95 William Yiampoy
12 1:43.96 José Luis Barbosa

Which date have seen most performances sub 1:46?

19
Aug 11 2000 in Zürich
1:43.72 André Bucher
1:43.87 Japheth Kimutai
1:43.92 Djabir Said-Guerni
1:43.98 Hezekiél Sepeng
1:44.01 Bram Som
1:44.16 Jean-Patrick Nduwimana
1:44.20 Kenneth Kimwetich
1:44.23 Wilfred Bungei
1:44.23 William Yiampoy
1:44.70 William Chirchir
1:44.72 Wilson Kirwa
1:44.85 Johan Botha
1:45.05 Nicholas Wachira
1:45.11 Joel Marwa
1:45.31 José Manuel Cerezo
1:45.33 Rich Kenah
1:45.44 Frederick Onyancha
1:45.59 João Pires
1:45.80 Adem Hecini

Other dates with many performances
17
Aug 15 2003 Zürich
Aug 6 2004 Zürich
July 11 2006 Lausanne
Aug 18 2006 Zürich

And the results for the quiz is:

PZhelev 9
EPelle 4

[eldrick]

you obviously missed kip's 1'42.67i

- knock off ~ 1s for not having a pacer to reduce drag for initial 400m

- knock off ~ 1s for difference between indoor/outdoor tracks over 800m

- knock off ~ ??? for no-one to push him at all that day

[paulthefan]

Re: 800m quiz

I believe if Snell, for example, had trained and competed today, given his tremendous talent, he would run close to 1:40

Snell was the perfect combination of WR speed at 800 with ultra durability and strength to make it through the rounds in a WC competition. I dont know if he would be at 140, maybe only 141 but one thing is for certain, in a WC competition with 12 guys with PRs under 143 Snell would win every time.

[eldrick]

Re: 800m quiz

I believe if Snell, for example, had trained and competed today, given his tremendous talent, he would run close to 1:40

i doubt it

kip looks the perfect 800m machine

if he coudn't run 1'40-flat, i doubt snell woud have

[PZhelev]

800m quiz

Brian, you’re right that Wolhuter was underrated, but concerning the ratings, much depends on the chance, and not solely on the sport’s greatness. For example, if Olympics were in 1974, not in 1972, Wolhuter would have been hailed as one of the all-time greats. I am sure everybody could provide many examples of athletes who were the best of their time, but missed the Olympics through injuries or other reasons and they did not receive the credit that they deserved.
Concerning the performances we should consider also the fact that in 1970-s the world-class tournaments were not so frequent as are they today. There were Olympics and Commonwealths in-between (and European championships, but until Ovett-Coe era the best milers and 800m runners were not Europeans). And the athletes who had the misfortune not to be in best shape during the Olympic year did not get the credit they deserved.
I believe if Snell, for example, had trained and competed today, given his tremendous talent, he would run close to 1:40.
I am tempted to quote Herb Elliott: “We had five or six races a year where we'd go for it and they were races of excellence.”

[EPelle]

Re: Men's 800m quiz

- Name the 3 athletes with most performances (in the right order) - 2p
right name and place, 1p right name but in wrong place

Man, pela2, this is a lot of cut and paste in Excel, and magasine flip-throughs, but here:s what I:ve got:

Sepeng: 91 races at 1.45,99 or faster.
Bungei: 90 sub-1.46,00 races.
Kipketer: 89 competitions under 1,46,00.