London Diamond League (Sainbury's Anniversary Games) 2013

Stat of the Week: What's Symmonds and Solomon's head-to-head record?

Jul 26, 2013 by Mitch Kastoff

We love to see those two duke it out. Tonight at the London Diamond League Meeting, Nick Symmonds left Duane Solomon for broke and took the win in the men’s 800m. Symmonds 1:43.67 winning time was not only a seasonal best, but the second fastest he’s ever run.

His personal best? 1:42.95 from the ’12 Olympic Final, where he finished fifth. As you know, he wasn’t the top American at the OG as Duane Solomon took one place higher in 1:42.82. Those are the number two and three marks on the all-time American 800m list.

Tonight in at the Olympic Stadium, those results were reversed. Before we get to taking a stab at the potential threat for an American to medal (dare I say gold?) in the 800m, we wonder how many times these two have gone head-to-head?

According to the statistic database tilastopaja, the total the two have raced one another is thirteen. Symmonds has won ten of those contests, but as a consolation prize, Solomon has a faster personal best.

Race	Duane Solomon (Place)	Nick Symmonds (Place)
Mt. SAC (2006)	1:52.12 (6)	1:48.97 (1)
USAs (2006)	1:47.54 (7)	1:45.83 (2)
USAs (2007)	1:45.69 (3)	1:45.17 (2)
USAs (2008)	1:45.78 (6)	1:44.10 (1)
Indoor U.S. ('10)	1:48.41A (2)	1:48.10A (1)
USAs (2010)	1:47.16 (2)	1:45.98 (1)
U.S. Trials (2012)	1:44.65 (3)	1:43.92 (1)
Monaco (2012)	1:43.44 (3)	1:43.78 (5)
Olympics (2012)	1:42.82 (4)	1:42.95 (5)
Prefontaine (2013)	1:45.67 (6)	1:45.40 (3)
USAs (2013)	1:43.27 (1)	1:43.70 (2)
Edmonton (2013)	1:44.91 (2)	1:44.86 (1)
London (2013)	1:44.12 (2)	1:43.67 (1)
Wins	3	10

Now for Moscow. Here’s the quick rundown of last year’s Olympic medalists:

- World record holder and Olympic champion David Rudisha is out with an injury.

- Silver medalist Nijel Amos was hurt earlier this season, but has been coming into form (he recently just ran 1:46.53 to win the World University Games). He also ran 1:44.71 in Lausanne, which was good for fourth.

- Bronze medalist Timothy Kitum has been struggling (he ran 1:44.45 in Monaco, which was good for seventh and nearly a 2-second seasonal best. Solomon won).

With the two healthy medalists in question, does that mean that this the year the Americans shine in the 800m?

Yes. We’d argue that right now, Symmonds has the better odds, but we cannot discount Solomon. He rallied in the Olympic final and almost snagged the bronze medal. Plus, he just ended Symmonds’ consecutive streak of U.S. 800m title (five in a row) a month ago in Des Moines.

Symmonds, who has told us that we label him as a “late kicker,” has been running more aggressive as of late and it’s paid dividends. In London, he employed a similar strategy from his race in Edmonton. Symmonds simply stayed behind Solomon until he could move into his final gear(s). If only it was that easy.

What’s been working for him this year? If we had to guess, it would be a combination of speed (here’s his WOW) and strength (he set a 1500m personal best in Monaco - 3:34.55). Whatever it is, it’s been going well.

So what are the chances that an American gets gold in the 800m? The biggest contender, who’s been nearly unbeatable all season, is Mohamed Aman. The reigning world indoor 800m champion has run seven 800m races this season and lost only one. Who was the lone winner to tarnish Aman’s immaculate (so far) outdoor season? Rudisha. Well, shoot.

Aman will be tough to beat in Moscow, but if either Symmonds of Solomon were going to take a chance at gold, this is a darn fine year to do it.