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The
middle distance challenge
Even more than the 100 metres, the mile is perhaps
the most basic unit of distance for athletes to run. Breaking the
four-minute mile was track's holy grail in the first half of the 20th
century. When Roger Bannister finally cracked it in 1954, it was heralded
as a milestone of human achievement, right up there with Lindbergh
crossing the Atlantic. Conveniently enough, though, the 1,500m is
only about 100m shy of a mile, and the 800m is almost exactly a half-mile,
so the middle distance events are easily understandable even by relics
from the pre-metric age. |
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800m
"Bucher's the fastest this year by a country
mile ... If Kipketer's there, he's always a medal
threat, but who knows if he's fit? Who knows if
he's even over his malaria? (On the women's side)
my three would be Graf, Mutola and Dos Santos
of Brazil. I think it's between Mutola and Graf,
and I'd have to give Graf the tiniest edge."
1,500m
"Between Kevin Sullivan and Graham Hood,
Sullivan is still the better bet ... He ran dreadfully
in one race and not much better in another. He
would do well to finish in the top six - the unfortunate
thing for him is that the depth in this event
is quite fantastic, even without Noah Ngeny. (For
the women) This is a fascinating race. On the
basis of form, you have to like Szekely from Romania,
who has been pretty much unbeatable this year."
-- Geoff Gowan
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Copyright © 2001 CBC
All Rights Reserved
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Sat., Aug. 4
8 - 10pm
-Men's 800m round 1
Sun.,
Aug. 5
7 - 8pm
-Women's 1500m SEMI-FINALS
Tues.,
Aug. 7
8 - 10pm
-Women's 1500m FINAL
-Men's 800m FINAL
Thur.,
Aug. 9
8 - 10pm
-Men's 1500m round 1
-Men's 800m FINAL
Fri.,
Aug. 10
11:30pm - 1am
-Women's 800m SEMI-FINALS
Sun.,
Aug. 12
4 - 7:30pm
-Women's 800m FINAL
-Men's 1500m FINAL
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If
the 400 metres is the so-called man-killer, the middle distance
events of 800m and 1500m present the most complex set of demands
on runners.
more
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