Rieti Blurbs and Predictions

Fear not, my friends. While the end of the Brussels Meet marks the end of the highly-successful inaugural season of the Diamond League, track fans will barely have to wait for high-level profession racing to being anew. The lightning-fast track has been a home to the most staggering World Record in the book (youtube Daniel Komen 3000 World Record and witness Steve Cram giggling in disbelief) and my personal favorite (go figure) Noah Ngeny's 1000m world record. This meet, fittingly, has world record talent that affords the meet the opportunity for two more to add to the facility's resume. That and more in the following blurbs.

Men's 3000m: This is a dandy of a race for American fans as all three of this year's track season's heavy hitters are entered with Chris Solinsky, Bernard Lagat, and Galen Rupp in the field. Their competition is world-class and seems to have the potential to push either Solinsky or Lagat to the American record of 7:30.67 that both have disclosed they are chasing on their twitter accounts. Non-American entrants include most prominently, Berlin 3000m winner and world leader Tariku Bekele who is riding a personal hot streak. If the pacemaking is good, no doubt Tariku would like to take aim at big brother Kenenisa Bekele's 7:25 PB. Other notable entrants include Edwin Soi, Bob Tahri and Eliud Kipchoge. The pacemaking in Berlin was solid, but Bernard Lagat fell off much to his disappointment, and will try to make amends here. Solinsky would love to complete a sensational season, and an American Record clocking would probably make his season the best ever for an American distance runner. Rupp, on the other hand, was not content with his 13:07 PB, and his coach Alberto Salazar hinted afterwards he might have made a mistake in undertraining Rupp in terms of endurance training. This may have less of an effect on Rupp's 3000 than his 5000, where if Rupp's speed endurance is as good as Salazar thinks, Rupp may be in line for a sub 7:40 clocking and a significant PB.

Prediction: 1. Tariku Bekele 2. Edwin Soi 3. Chris Solinsky (7:30.2 AR)

-Other Americans Bernard Lagat (7:31) and Galen Rupp (7:40.5)

Men's 800m: Two days after Brussels, David Rudisha will take another shot at the world record. Competitively, this one will likely be a joke much like his attempt in Berlin. Training partner and personal rabbit Sammy Tangui is here again as is a similar field. According to the meet website, Kenyan Jackson Kivuva is expected to take Rudisha through 600 meters in 1:14. The extra pacemaker will be in contrast to Rudisha's last effort, which featured only Tangui. I like Rudisha's chances here as the setup should be excellent again, and there is no faster track in the world. Whether apocryphal or not, there are rumors that the stadium protects against all winds except for a tailwind on the back stretch. Four additions to the field who will be seeking to set personal bests are Marcin Lewandowski, Arturo Casado, Michael Rimmer, and Nick Symmonds. Lewandowski, in particular, appears to be due for a personal best if this is a fast race for the chase pack. Rimmer and Symmonds have run some very solid competitive efforts as well on the season and both will be chasing the 1:44 barrier to stamp themselves as contenders in next year's world championships.

Prediction(feeling optimistic once again): Rudisha 1:40.9 WR

Women's 1500: Russian World Leader Anna Alminova is the favorite in a deep field including a quartet of the top Americans: Morgan Uceny, Anna Pierce, Shannon Rowbury, and Erin Donohue. Alminova struggled mightily her last time out in Zurich, but it will come to nobody's surprise to see her assuming her customary position at the front with a lap to go. With the dominant runner in the event all year, Nancy Langat, not entered the task will fall on the Americans or maybe Hind Debiba and Maryam Yusuf Jamal to track her down. Pierce and Uceny should both come in with chips on their shoulder as they both DNF'ed in a fall that I recapped in detail in my Weltklasse recap. Rowbury's race was also partially ruined as she got caught up in the carnage. Also, ever present is the track drama between John Cook reject Donohue and John Cook's chosen one, Rowbury. Donohue won the last battle in a kick in London.
Prediction: 1. Alminova 2. Rowbury 3. Uceny

Men's 110M Hurdles: The second world record attempt is in here as the "David Oliver show" rolls onto Rieti. Oliver will need to get an above-average start and run relatively clean over the hurdles to take down the record. He'll also need a reprise of his signature glorious lean to maximize every hundrenth of a second. Continuing my optimism, I am going to predict he just gets it done.

Prediction: Oliver 12.86 WR

Men's 1500m: This might be the finest 1500m field of the year as it features Asbel Kiprop, Silas Kiplagat, Augustine Choge, and 2009 World Champion Yusuf Saad Kamel. While Kamel has not really shown well this year, the first three I mention have all had terrific moments this season. The revelation of the year has been 20 year old Silas Kiplagat who ran 3:29.21 in his European debut, and backed it up with a dominating 3:30 win over Choge and others in Berlin last week. Choge did not show particularly good form last week in Berlin or Brussels two days ago, but he can handle any pace, and should run typically aggressive here seizing the lead at 400 meters to go and drafting right behind the pacers. Kiprop's 3:32 win in Brussels is good indicator of how well he is maintained his fitness in his break from racing. At his best this season, he has shown himself to be in a class by himself as he has definitively beat Kiplagat and Choge this year. In Brussels, his race was solid and he pulled away easily from all but a frenetic Leonel Manzano. Kamel has not had a good race this year after his tremendous two-medal performance in Berlin last year.

Italian supercoach Renato Canova, in a letsrun thread, has gone on record saying he thinks Kiplagat lacks the speed to contend with Kiprop in a tactical race. Canova also said Kiplagat is learning that the way to compensate for that is to take the reins at 600 meters and run a sustained drive. Silas practiced this tactic in Berlin and the result proved that it works for a strong and capable runner. That being said, Kiprop was not in the race and I think he's overdue for a 3:29 or 3:30 clocking if the pace brings them through 1200 meters in 2:50.0 or faster.

Prediction: 1. Kiprop 3:30 2. S. Kiplagat 3. Choge

Quickfire Blurbs:

The rest of the races aren't very competitive, but there are some standout athletes in the fields. In the 100, new 9.85 man Nesta Carter is the clear leader. The 200 features Wallace Spearmon against a pedestrian field that he should dominate. The Women's 400mH features Kaliese Spencer who can challenge 53 seconds if she starts correctly.

Have a great rest of the weekend all, and feel free to comment and give me your feedback!