Abubaker Kaki in Karlstadt (© Anders Sjogren)
A year ago, Abubaker Kaki rode a strong wave of momentum to Beijing and will do so again this year, but he’ll be one year older and, more significantly, one year wiser.
Fresh off of his thrilling gun-to-tape victory at the World indoor championships, the Sudanese teen sensation reinvigorated the 800m in 2008, but his streak of fast times – including a 1:42.69 World junior record – meant little when disaster struck at the Olympics, ending his otherwise stellar season with a last place finish in his semi-final.
The young Sudanese, now 20, has again produced the most consistent two lap campaign of the year, with fast wins in five of his six races, all but one in under 1:44. He’s led the world since his 1:43.09 victory in Doha in May, and backed up it with a 1:43.10 in Hengelo in early June and 1:43.50 in Monaco in late July. The lone blemish on his record came in Oslo when a cramp forced him to the track less than 200 metres in the race. The injury wasn’t serious, and he’ll arrive in Berlin as the man to beat.
Giving Sudan a formidable 1-2 punch will be Ismail Ahmed Ismail, the Olympic silver medallist. The 24-year-old has won just two races this season, but he’s already proven his big meet capabilities and he’s gotten faster, finally dipping under 1:44 with his 1:43.82 run in Athens last month.
But standing before them and Sudan’s first ever World championships medal of any colour will be Kenya’s powerful four pronged attack. The charge will be led by Asbel Kiprop, the Olympic 1500m silver medallist who’ll be contesting both events in Berlin. He’s currently the season’s second fastest with his 1:43.17 runner-up finish to Kaki in Doha, and more recently clocked 1:43.48 in Athens to hand Ismail a solid defeat.
Former World junior champion David Rudisha could be a factor as well. The 20-year-old bounced back from injury this season with a PB 1:43.53 and won the fiercely competitive Kenyan trials. Although he hasn’t been as fast, Alfred Kirwa Yego, the defending champion who also took home bronze at the Olympics last year, obviously knows how to come to a championships prepared. Jackson Kivuna (1:44.86), who finished third at the trials, rounds out the Kenyan contingent.
Six others have dipped under 1:44 this season, and most are strong medal contenders on their best days. Leading those is 2004 Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy (1:43.58, ’09) of Russia, who’s won four of his seven races. Mediterranean Games champion Amine Laalou (1:43.36, ’09) of Morocco, a finalist in 2007, will be looking to bounce back from his Beijing outing where he didn’t reach the final. Mohammed Al-Salhi of Saudi Arabia, another Osaka finalist, lowered the national record to 1:43.66 in Doha. Osaka and Beijing semi-finalist Nick Symmonds of the USA joined the sub-1:44 ranks this season, as did Pole Marcin Lewandowski (1:43.84), while Canada’s Gary Reed, who took silver two years ago, illustrated good form in Athens with his 1:43.95 run. Cuban Yeimer Lopez, who threatened the 1:43 barrier last year and finished sixth in Beijing, has raced well in 2009, and has a 1:44.10 season’s best.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
Fresh off of his thrilling gun-to-tape victory at the World indoor championships, the Sudanese teen sensation reinvigorated the 800m in 2008, but his streak of fast times – including a 1:42.69 World junior record – meant little when disaster struck at the Olympics, ending his otherwise stellar season with a last place finish in his semi-final.
The young Sudanese, now 20, has again produced the most consistent two lap campaign of the year, with fast wins in five of his six races, all but one in under 1:44. He’s led the world since his 1:43.09 victory in Doha in May, and backed up it with a 1:43.10 in Hengelo in early June and 1:43.50 in Monaco in late July. The lone blemish on his record came in Oslo when a cramp forced him to the track less than 200 metres in the race. The injury wasn’t serious, and he’ll arrive in Berlin as the man to beat.
Giving Sudan a formidable 1-2 punch will be Ismail Ahmed Ismail, the Olympic silver medallist. The 24-year-old has won just two races this season, but he’s already proven his big meet capabilities and he’s gotten faster, finally dipping under 1:44 with his 1:43.82 run in Athens last month.
But standing before them and Sudan’s first ever World championships medal of any colour will be Kenya’s powerful four pronged attack. The charge will be led by Asbel Kiprop, the Olympic 1500m silver medallist who’ll be contesting both events in Berlin. He’s currently the season’s second fastest with his 1:43.17 runner-up finish to Kaki in Doha, and more recently clocked 1:43.48 in Athens to hand Ismail a solid defeat.
Former World junior champion David Rudisha could be a factor as well. The 20-year-old bounced back from injury this season with a PB 1:43.53 and won the fiercely competitive Kenyan trials. Although he hasn’t been as fast, Alfred Kirwa Yego, the defending champion who also took home bronze at the Olympics last year, obviously knows how to come to a championships prepared. Jackson Kivuna (1:44.86), who finished third at the trials, rounds out the Kenyan contingent.
Six others have dipped under 1:44 this season, and most are strong medal contenders on their best days. Leading those is 2004 Olympic champion Yuriy Borzakovskiy (1:43.58, ’09) of Russia, who’s won four of his seven races. Mediterranean Games champion Amine Laalou (1:43.36, ’09) of Morocco, a finalist in 2007, will be looking to bounce back from his Beijing outing where he didn’t reach the final. Mohammed Al-Salhi of Saudi Arabia, another Osaka finalist, lowered the national record to 1:43.66 in Doha. Osaka and Beijing semi-finalist Nick Symmonds of the USA joined the sub-1:44 ranks this season, as did Pole Marcin Lewandowski (1:43.84), while Canada’s Gary Reed, who took silver two years ago, illustrated good form in Athens with his 1:43.95 run. Cuban Yeimer Lopez, who threatened the 1:43 barrier last year and finished sixth in Beijing, has raced well in 2009, and has a 1:44.10 season’s best.
Bob Ramsak for the IAAF
