Kenya and the United States are far from finalizing their 800-meter teams for IAAF World Championships in Moscow. David Rudisha is a lock to defend his title from Daegu in 2011, but who will be the other three runners joining him to represent their country. 

As of right now, Kenya has three of the four best times in the world in the 800-meter dash. Jeremiah Mutai is second with a 1:43.9 (Altitude) at the Kenya Police Athletics Championship.

Who?

Big 800m breakthrough for former 400 hurdler (& '09 WY silver medallist) Jeremiah Mutai at Ken Police Champs - 1:43.9. Previous best 1:48.1.

— Statman Jon (@Statman_Jon) May 26, 2013

Remember the 2009 World Youth silver medalist in the 400-meter hurdles? That’s who. Even the Kenyans were stunned at his performance in Bressanone, Italy. 

Because this weekend’s race was hand-timed, the IAAF does not accept it as a valid performance for the qualifying standards. 

But a 4.2 second improvement is still quite the act by the 20-year-old. Although he is best known for his performance in the 400-meter hurdles, he has not run that race since 2011. He finished last in 55.02 at the 2010 World Junior Championships in Moncton and would only run that race just two more times in 2011. 

That’s when he started to shift his attention to running more 400-meter dashes. He ran his personal best of 46.43 before the 2011 Kenyan National Championship in Nairobi. He has not set a personal best since. 

Without the full race video, we can’t say what he closed in at the Police Championships. But we do know he only has a brief history in the 800-meter run, only running it six times in his career. 

Could he be considered a contender for a World Championship roster spot? It’s early and he has yet to run against high profile competition, but fourth all-time on Kenyan soil should count for something. 

 

Information courtesy: Kip Evans

What about last year’s Olympians?

Olympic bronze medalist Timothy Kitum should start to heat up after two Diamond League performances under his belt thus far in 2013. He’s run 1:46.54 in Doha and 1:46.93 in New York, where he bumped into Erik Sowinski in a battle for second place that resulted in Sowinski falling and finishing last. Kitum is slated for the Olympic final rematch at the Prefontaine Classic this weekend, where he could move up on the current world leaders list. He is currently 26th in the world. 

Job Kinyor has the fourth best time in the world after finishing third in 1:44.24 at Doha beating seventh place finisher Anthony Chemut, Kenya’s third Olympic 800m runner. 

Kip Evans, an athletics statistician and compiler for Africa, informs us that the Kenyan trial system is very similar to that of the United States. In recent years, Athletics Kenya selects the top two times and one other runner of their choice. In most cases, that runner has the third best Kenyan time. It is important to note their trials and National Championship are separate competitions.

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Mutai is not the only 400-meter hurdler to find success in the 800-meter run this season. Brandon Johnson is doing the same on American soil after his win at the Oxy High Performance Meet, where he ran 1:44.85. It was his eighth 800-meter run of the season, which he started focusing on in his time off after the 2009. 

He is back on the scene. This interview from last year’s OXY HP Meet on the road to the Olympics is very similar to the situation he is undergoing in 2013. 

 
 

Could he land a spot on the 2013 United States roster headed to Moscow? It is not impossible, but the field in the race is already deep.  

Nick Symmonds is flashing his strength in the 1,500-meter run after taking the crown (literally) over a field that included Olympians Leo Manzano, Matt Centrowitz and Andrew Wheating. But there is still no word if Symmonds will run the 1,500-meter run or 800-meter run at the US Championships in Des Moines. The first round of the 800m is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. with the 1,500m following at 5:00 p.m. on the second day of competition.
  


Duane Solomon has run 1:46.03 at Mt. SAC Relays and Penn Relays. Symmonds and Solomon will both race the 800-meter run at Pre, so a fast time courtesy of Matt Scherer’s pacing duties for David Rudisha could put them back on top of the United States radar for the team.

Sowinski is on the waiting list to get into that race and unconfirmed reports have Nijel Amos as a scratch. After his disappointing finish in New York, Sowinski is hungry for another fast race. He does not have anything on his schedule before the United States Championship, but could also chase the A-standard afterwards. 

Johnson has the A-standard, so his focus shifts to placing well in Des Moines in order to punch his ticket to Moscow.