Fastest final laps?

[no one]

Re: Fastest final laps?

it would seem to me that the USA has some fast last lappers, given all the races that are run each year. hafta think going back to late 60s, 70s, 80s etc ... I know there were fast guys running decent times ... with 53s +/- or so closing - no?

[basslop]

Re: Fastest final laps?

Juha Vaatainen finished his 27:52.78 at the 71 EC in 53.8. Then he ran a 53.0 at the end of the 5000 a couple of days later.

Väätäinen was the man. On the 5K and 10K i guess he was the first to manage such final laps. Remember that the 10K race was one of the faster in history so far. The WR back in '71 still was Ron Clarke's 27:39. do not forget GDR's Jürge Haase who followed Väätäinen and lost by just a few tenth of a seconds.

Väätäinen is a interesting guy. He was 30 in 1971. He started as a 400/800 runner. That explains his speed. In the sixities he represented Finland on the 800 and 1500. In 1972 OG he was stopped by back pain. He also planned to run marathon after that, but several injuries stopped his top runner career.

[jeremyp]

Re: Fastest final laps?

What these fast finishes show, especially Ryun's and El G's is that these guys were so strong that even a good pace had little or no impact on their stamina. Snell ran a 24.5 last 220 in Modesto in 1962, and was only .5 from the WR.

I think that's when he ran 3:56.1 in May '62. The WR at that time though was a bit quicker than 0.5 faster. It was his own 3:54.4.
Nevertheless, 24.5 for last 220 is amazing. His last 440 was 54.0.
It's a shame these races from that period are seldom available to watch on video, as we have to rely on hand timed observers who were there.

Right! It was the Coliseum relays where he ran 24.5 last 220 in a 3.56.1, leaving Burelson, no slouch, to see a 26 last 220 seem tardy, and in the 3.54.9 race in Modesto he ran the last 110m in 14.0, going by the 1500 in 3.40.9. Cram ran a 14 last 110 in his 3.46.32 WR Mile.

[lovetorun]

Re: Fastest final laps?

Yes, I think Ryun and Snell were probably the most stunning with their amazing final 200--300--400 kicks in a 1500m or mile...their acceleration was amazing. The closest to them is probably Coe and Ovett.

[jeremyp]

Re: Fastest final laps?

Yes, I think Ryun and Snell were probably the most stunning with their amazing final 200--300--400 kicks in a 1500m or mile...their acceleration was amazing. The closest to them is probably Coe and Ovett.

All great 800m men. Then came the berber arabs, with 3 consecutive laps of 56 and killed off the kick.

[deanouk]

Re: Fastest final laps?

Yes, I think Ryun and Snell were probably the most stunning with their amazing final 200--300--400 kicks in a 1500m or mile...their acceleration was amazing. The closest to them is probably Coe and Ovett.

I think Coe and Ovett were more than a match for Snell & Ryun in terms of acceleration over the last 200m. A lot of the splits given to the latter two were hand timed ones at the time and may be subject to some slight discrepancy.

Ovett's 12.0 penultimate 100m in his 25.1 last 200m in the 77 World Cup (3:34), &
Coe's 12.1 last 100m (25.0 last 200m, 38.7 last 300m) in Moscow Olympics and 12.5 (25.6 last 200m, 39.0 last 300m) in his Zurich 3:32 (1984); are testimony to that.

Remember, Coe ran few 1500s in comparison to the others and plenty more 800s. He ran a 24.1 last 200m (11.9 last 100) in the 79 Europa Cup final (1:47), a 12.0 last 100m in the 81 World Cup and 24.8 at the 86 Europeans (1:44). These rival anything Snell or Ryun produced, and can be readily seen on video.

[mrbowie]

Re: Fastest final laps?

Look. Jim Ryun is a Merkin. Of course he was better than Kip. End of story. Don't you ever watch the movies? The Merkin's always come out on top. Come to the party fella!

[lovetorun]

Re: Fastest final laps?

Jim Ryun had great 800m speed also...not as fast as Coe, but he ran 1:44.9 for 880 yards at age 19 with no real competition. So I think if he had run as many 800m as Coe he would have been under 1:43.0.

[Non Potest]

Re: Fastest final laps?

What about the women ?? Dibaba and her famous aunt as well as Defar (Eth) have run some senstional last laps. Any stats on their efforts ? Their races used to make me wonder if anyone trains for sprint distances in Ethiopia or because of their tradition in distances that all the runners including their fastest sprinters exclusively trainand compete over the longer distances. The sprint finishes of their distance runners are unreal.