This could turn into a complete & total BUST!
Or it could be THE Women's Mile Race of the Century!
Yes, the Van Damme Memorial meet in Brussels, Belgium has changed the Women's 1500 meters to a One Mile race!
I have no idea why!
This was a last minute decision, as the first Program Schedule showed the race to be a 1500.
The last (and only??) time a Women's Mile was held in Brussels was in 2007, when Maryam Jamal set the Meet Record of 4:17.75.
It's RARE that a Women's MILE (on the track!) is held anywhere--except for INdoors!
And even more rare that such a World Class field is brought together to race a Mile!
I am totally excited about the Record possibilities for this race!
Besides the World and Meet Records, I see....
9 PLACE Records
7 NATIONAL Records
10 AGE Records
...as POSSIBLY being broken!!
Not to mention a MASSIVE rewrite of my World Top 24 Performers list!
(As well as 2 changes to my US DDD!!)
Here are ALL of the details on ALL of the Records that MIGHT fall tomorrow!!
WORLD
The WR is 4:12.56 by Svetlana Masterkova in 1996.
It means the leaders would have to pass the 1500 mark in about 3:55 or 3:56, but no slower than 3:57.00!!
The final 109 meters normally takes (for Women) about 16 to 17 seconds, but could be slightly faster or slower, according to kicking ability.
The best bets for the World standard will probably come from Sifan Hassan, Shannon Rowbury, Jenny Simpson, Abeba Aregawi, and Faith Kipyegon!
MEET
As noted above, Maryam Jamal ran 4:17.75 in 2007's edition of this meet.
That requires the winner to pass 1500 meters in at least 4:01+ to have a good chance at this Record!
Faster than 4:01, and it's GONE!!
NATIONAL
As I stated above, there are SEVEN National Records up for grabs in this race!
They are...
USA--4:16.71
Shannon Rowbury and Jenny Simpson are in this race!
They would need to pass the 1500 point in 4:00.00--give or take a few tenths of a second!--to have a shot at Mary Slaney's venerable NR!
Ethiopia--4:18.23
With Axumawit Embaye and Dawit Seyaum entered, this NR is VERY vulnerable.
All it would take is for them to pass 1500 in 4:02.00 or faster!
Netherlands--4:22.40
This one's a CINCH---IF Sifan Hassan, that 3:56.05 1500 Woman, goes past 1500 in 4:06.00 or faster!
This race would have to be a MoBot Special for this Record NOT to fall!!
Poland--4:22.96
Either Renata Plis, Sofia Ennaoui, or Angelika Cichocka should EASILY rip this one to shreds!!
They need to hit the 1500 mark in about 4:06 or faster.
Kenya--4:24.00
Yes, Kenya's Women's Mile Record is just 4:24.00 (by Jackline Maranga)!!
This Record should be a walk in the park for Faith Kipyegon, Viola Kibiwot, Mercy Cherono, or Nancy Chepkwemoi.
Sweden--4:25.34
You think Abeba Aregawi is going to pass 1500 slower than 4:08??
Morocco--4:30.69
Malika Akkaoui and Rabab Arrafi should be able to go by 1500 in 4:13 or so, right??
PLACE
The Place Records (for 2nd through 10th), and approximate 1500 split times are:
2nd--4:17.33 (4:01.00)
3rd--4:17.57 (4:01.25)
4th--4:20.35 (4:03.00)
5th--4:21.13 (4:03.80)
6th--4:21.92 (4:04.40)
7th--4:24.85 (4:07.80)
8th--4:25.29 (4:08.00)
9th--4:26.48 (4:08.90)
10th-4:26.85 (4:09.10)
ALL of those PLACE Records COULD fall!!
AGE
The following AGE Records are in danger!
I also give the names of those at each age!
19--4:17.57 (Dawit Seyaum)
20--4:23.92 (Axumawit Embaye, Sofia Ennaoui)
21--4:15.8 (Faith Kipyegon)
22--4:17.75 (Sifan Hassan, Nancy Chepkwemoi)
NOTE: This is also the MEET Record listed above. Hassan's actual birthdate is questionable. It's listed in most places as just 1993, no day or month. But one site has it as January 1, 1993, so I'm going to at least temporarily accept that as her actual birthdate! Therefore, she's 22 now!
24--4:15.63 (Rahab Arrafi, Mercy Cherono)
25--4:15.61 (Abeba Aregawi)
27--4:16.71 (Malika Akkaoui, Angelika Cichocka)
NOTE: This Age Record is Mary Slaney's US National Record!)
29--4:26.84 (Jenny Simpson)
30--4:20.39 (Renata Plis, Shannon Rowbury)
NOTE: Rowbury doesn't turn 31 until September 19th, 8 days after this race!)
31: 4:23.40 (Viola Kibiwot)
IF this is a fast race, and IF everyone runs it hard, ALL of the Age Records could go down!
But SOME of them will be difficult!!
As for my DDD's, I see the possibility for a MASSIVE revision of my World list!
The only person from this entry list currently on the World list is Rowbury!
She's now 16th A-T, with her PR of 4:20.34.
24th Place on the list is now 4:21.30.
That's about a 1500 in 4:04+!
If they ALL pass 1500 in 4:04 or faster, we WILL see a brand new World list by tomorrow night!!
Only Rowbury is on the US Top 24 list!
She's 2nd best (to Slaney!).
Simpson is NOT on the list.
Her INdoor Mile best of 4:25+ does NOT count for the OUTdoor list!!
I think she'll make the list, however!
She needs run just 4:27.94!!
So, WILL this Van Damme Mile live up to the possibilities this Preview presents?
Or will it, as I intimated earlier, be a complete and utter FAILURE??
Or somewhere in between?
One thing's for sure.
I am THRILLED that the organizers added 109 meters to their original race distance!!
Check this blog tomorrow to see what happened!
(Of course, the ENTIRE meet will be covered!!)
BTW, Chanelle Price is also on the entry list!
But I have a feeling she'll be the Rabbit, as she was in Genzebe Dibaba's WR in Monaco!
Thus, I did not include her in any of my Record speculations!
ADDITION:
Chanelle Price tweeted to me that she will be setting a WORLD RECORD pace.
She didn't specify how fast she'll be going, but for a 4:12.56--even if with a slight negative split-- they must have its 800 (880!) no slower than 2:08.
The IAAF has said that Sifan Hassan asked for the event change, and for the rabbit!
She intends to give the WR a shot!
So the anticipation builds!!
ADDITION:
MORE news!
The race was changed to the Mile because Genzebe Dibaba wanted to chase the WR.
But then she withdrew from the meet--probably because of her poor showing in Zurich!
The organizers were ready to change it back to the 1500, but then Hassan's coach told them SHE wanted to go for the MILE WR!
So it remains the Mile!
Also, according to quotes from the American duo, they both want to chase down Slaney's AR!
Wouldn't it be something if BOTH break it!
But who will be the Record holder?
(Keep in mind that Rowbury ran a PR 800 in Zurich!!)
No comments:
Post a Comment