¶2012 OG: m1500–Taoufik Makhloufi (Algeria) 3:34.08

[bobguild76]

Great analysis by Master Po! I agree, Centro ran a perfect race ... until the bell. Even then, he is so smooth, he got out of trouble without too much effort. But when Manzano passed him, he hesitated to go with him, and that made all the difference. Awesome race by Manzano!! He can drive us nuts, but he has such speed!

The real stud, of course, was Makhloufi. His acceleration was incredible, and he held form all the way home. Plus he & Manzano only had 3:42s in their legs from the semi, not the 3:34s Iguider & Centro had. For the sake of the sport, I hope he raced clean. It will be interesting to see what happens regarding his shoving to get through. Not quite as blatant as Rodriguez in the W1500 at Berlin, and it didn't seem to disrupt Centro too much ... but it was right at the border of what is acceptable.

I'm surprised at Willis. He is usually so fit and tactically sound. I will be interested to hear his post race comments. And all 5 Kenyan born runners in the back half?! Yikes! I would love to have seen a totally fit & confident Kiprop. Maybe next year at the WC.

[cladthin]

Willis did surprise me, too. Though he was obviously boxed in for a while, he seemed to have 2-3 opportunities to get out and run wide but he elected to keep falling back late then try to move. I don't understand what he was thinking.

Nice race by Manzano and Centro. Manzano did not look very sharp in the race(s) I saw between the OT and the OG so it was good to see him rebound. What was the comment from the Kenyan coach about them winning so many medals here? They've been a big disappointment.

[Master Po]

what's coe's distaste for the winner?

Lord Coe doesn't confide in me, but in my interpretation of the comments, it seemed very much frustration that the top runners (Kenyans, Willis) let it develop the way it did and let Makhloufi get away.

I don't know any more about Makhloufi than what's on all-athletics.com (and I doubt if most of us reading this thread do at this point), but he was a 3:34 guy by 2009, and had 3:32 & 3:33 on his resume before his 3:30.80 in Monaco earlier this summer. He competed at 1500 in both Berlin and Daegu (sf both), won the African championships 800 earlier this year (1:43.88), and did an 800/1500 double (1st, 3rd) at the All-Africa Games last year. So, he's got some championship experience, and some of it successful. And, he has a faster 800m PB than most of the guys in this field.

And, given the schedule of these OG, it's no great mystery at least for me that (as reported) he didn't want to run both the 800 & 1500 -- I don't think he would have had that 3:34 in him today if he had just run an 800 sf an hour earlier.

[user4]

I know I should be thrilled at Manzano's silver and Centro's 4th, and I guess I am, but I just felt bad seeing Kiprop trailing the field. As much as we all cheer for our own, whoever they are, no one wants to see that, I would think.

When you are as thrilled to see Manzano get silver as I am you fail to even see "that" ... This is the happiest day of my 1500m viewing career !!!

[gh]

congrats to the 3 of you who have (so far) earned bans for your commentary on this thread. Anybody wanna try for 4?

[errolM]

Ingebrigtsen totally confirmed his European title.

Agree, he's going to get better too. Needs more experience and race savvy, but that will come.

Very impressed. Apparently his kid brothers are pretty useful too.

[Marlow]

Difficult to recognize the U.S. runners, wearing all red and no blue. Doesn't help that they are way behind.

Or not . . .

[TN1965]

Centro needs to learn how to lean at the finish, and more importantly, how not to bang his knee to a table.

But his ability to peak for the big meet is remarkable. I look forward to seeing what he can do next year.

[bobguild76]

congrats to the 3 of you who have (so far) earned bans for your commentary on this thread. Anybody wanna try for 4?

Yikes! You have the best "job" in the world ... T&FN, plus "suffering" through another awesome Olympics in person. And then you gotta go check the threads for every event and delete the unacceptable. I hope you have a good staff working with you.

I love these event forums. Track & Field fans are the best and most knowledgable in all of sports. I love the back and forth comments and analyses of the various events. Thanks gh for the work you put into this!

[MightyBurner]

God, Leo Manzano is infuriating.

Sometimes "infuriating" hides a certain genius!

(Apologies in advance if this sounds snarky, it's not meant to. I just found the comment as I was scrolling through.)

Oh, I know. Now I'm irked for a different reason. Leo Manzano, living the American dream.

[cladthin]

Ingebrigtsen totally confirmed his European title.

Agree, he's going to get better too. Needs more experience and race savvy, but that will come.

Very impressed. Apparently his kid brothers are pretty useful too.

His close was very impressive just ran out of room to have a chance for some hardware.

[1fastrunner]

So what's up with a possible DQ? Do they wait until the games are over? Track stewards at Santa Anita would have had that nag down in less than a minute.

[telf]

I have been aware of Makhloufi for quite a few years and I considered him very progressive to the end of '11.

Throughout '09, '10 and to September '11 he was continually (but slowly) improving despite injuries but I believed that he lacked the basic speed and the required change of pace to ever be a championship 1500m runner. I thought he would eventually end up as a world class 5k and maybe10k runner given his youthful promise at longer distances.

When he beat the Kenyans and won the All African games 800m in Mozambique at the beginning of September '11 he had clearly worked hard on his basic speed and this new found speed was fabulously re-enforced by the 1.43.88 win in Porto Novo at the end of June '12.

Makhloufi was by now a very different athlete than the man (22) who finished down the field (3.32.9) in Monaco in '10 and I was pretty excited about how fast he was going to run when back at 1500m in '12 and I admit I was very disappointed when he finished 5th in Monaco on July 20.

I thought he'd run 3.28 and would comfortably beat Kiprop so 3.30.8 was really disappointing! I knew he could and would go much faster and place much higher in a slowly run race.

Not wanting to aftertime or be boastful, I tried really hard to get betting odds for the Olympic 1500m but because there was no strong British interest in the event it was difficult to get any bookmaker to give a price in advance of the heats but eventually the world's largest betting exchange provided some prices and I managed to get 100/1, 66/1 and 50/1.

The point of the above is not to relate my good fortune rather it is to evidence that whilst Makhloufi might not have had the fast times and championship form in the run up to London he was a rapidly improving runner who was certainly a very possible winner.

[1fastrunner]

Didn't everyone see that fiasco in th 1500? what the hell does it take to be dq'd? Is there a statute of limitations on how fast a dq must take place? The video of that race has gone viral and another black eye for T&F

[1fastrunner]

TELF: it doesn't mean a darn thing if you like him or if he has been improving..fine..he has been improving...did you see the 1500 final? he needs to be dq'd!!!! no personal opinions need enter in to the discussion..case closed...thanks for coming..good night!!

[1fastrunner]

A USA runner won the silver, right? Did USA file a protest?

[telf]

Don't agree re the DQ....it was a rough race but no rougher than many championship races before.

I can remember Ovett opening a gap by prising the two runners ahead of him apart with both hands in order to sprint to victory.

Makhloufi was clearly the best runner on the day - like it or nor.

Where his new speed came from is a very good question but it is not without precedence although the similarities to Ramzi are a little off putting.

From my perspective he has significantly improved which young, unexposed and inexperienced athletes often do and that will remain my position until there is irrefutable evidence to the contrary.

[Alan Shank]

And the controversy continues......

Glad Manzano got the silver, wish Matty had more room to get the bronze.

He had 1500 meters, same as the rest.
Great run by Manzano!
The Kenyans were talking sweep last week. Another lesson; keep your mouth shut about what IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
Cheers,
Alan Shank

[gh]

congrats to the 3 of you who have (so far) earned bans for your commentary on this thread. Anybody wanna try for 4?

And now we're at a half-dozen.... has mass stupidity gone viral while I'm gone?

I'd love to say I could do this all night long, but hey, it's 0:00:30 here on the other side of the planet I have a meet to annonce early tomorrow morning.

A short trigger finger is the order of the day here.

[ExCoastRanger]

A USA runner won the silver, right? Did USA file a protest?

A DQ of the winner would give the USA a bronze, too, but I don't see any protest filed by U.S. coaches.

[1fastrunner]

good night and good luck

[BillVol]

Wow, just now reading the results. So proud of our mid-to-long distance guys and women. They have come a long way. I was starting to wonder if we could do it. Incredible! I've liked Leo for quite a while. Can't wait to see it tonight.

[odelltrclan]

And the controversy continues......

Glad Manzano got the silver, wish Matty had more room to get the bronze.

He had 1500 meters, same as the rest.
Great run by Manzano!
The Kenyans were talking sweep last week. Another lesson; keep your mouth shut about what IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
Cheers,
Alan Shank

Three of four distance races done (for men) and result:

USA: 2 silvers
Kenya: 1 silver
Ethiopia: 1 bronze

I like the US chances in the 5k to finish the meet ahead of the two distance powerhouses for the men for the combined 1,500; steeple; 5,000 & 10,000. Who would have thunk it possible.

This has been a strange meet.

[hc10003]

Three of four distance races done (for men) and result:

USA: 2 silvers
Kenya: 1 silver
Ethiopia: 1 bronze

Doesn't Kenya have gold and bronze from steeple?

[LTS]

Let's see, first US men's 1500 Olympic medal since 1968? The best finish for the US since 1936 (tied)?

IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE!!

[odelltrclan]

Three of four distance races done (for men) and result:

USA: 2 silvers
Kenya: 1 silver
Ethiopia: 1 bronze

Doesn't Kenya have gold and bronze from steeple?

Yes, must have pulled up the wrong race link. Crap, we are still going to lose to them! Lets go Lagat & Rupp!

USA: 2S
Kenya: 1G, 1B
Ethiopa: 1B

[1fastrunner]

Amen, brother....when will the shoe fall?

[pickle47]

Adios, amigo. Oh, gh went to bed. Well, later then....

[Randy Treadway]

The IAAF can just DQ him for blatant fouls during the race, and keep things nice and tidy for anything that might come later.

How long does an athlete (or their coaches) have to file an official protest? And if one is filed, will the London website post anything saying that the results are "under review" ?

[lonewolf]

I was pleased to see Manzano get up for silver. I have been a Leo admirer ever since I watched him come out of nowhere( well, actually Marble Falls, Texas) to run 4:02 mile as a HS junior (?) at the Texas Relays.

[Dutra5]

The IAAF can just DQ him for blatant fouls during the race, and keep things nice and tidy for anything that might come later.

How long does an athlete (or their coaches) have to file an official protest? And if one is filed, will the London website post anything saying that the results are "under review" ?

30 mins. I'd be shocked if there's been a protest filed by anyone if we haven't heard of it.

[odelltrclan]

People keep talking on here about "blatant fouls". I did not see anything that (to me) warrants expulsion from the race. I saw him get pushed earlier in the race, I also saw him get pushed and elbowed with about 450 meters to go, and yes he did break through fighting for position with about a lap to go but that did not appear to be a blatant foul where he will be disqualified and I don't see how anyone was impeded by the actions you are discussing. So I think all you who are crying foul need to give it a rest. He was the strongest and fastest today and won fair and square so get over it.

[hc10003]

I did not see anything that to me warrants expulsion from the race.

Agree, just normal racing for a tight middle distance race. Also don't understand some of the surprise expressed in the thread. The TFN form chart had him 5th, which becomes 4th when the injury removed Kiprop from the top tier. So he finished three places above the experts' predictions, hardly a drastic upset (we've already had two winners from #9 in the form charts). So not predicted, but not shocking either from the pre-meet forecasts.

[lovetorun]

I'm really puzzled by Willis's race...he seemed perfectly poised to medal and possibly win...and has a great big meet record. Anyone know what happened?

[Randy Treadway]

When was the last time that Kenyan OG performances in the middle- and distance races looked so bleak? 1964 perhaps?