Alyssa Johnson

[TrackCoach]

Alyssa Johnson is the best 800m runner in world.

Call me:
-Stating the obvious
-A glass half full
-Crazy

[BlackIrish]

She MAYBE knows how to RUN the RACE the BEST. But is not the FASTEST.

[pln09]

C.) Crazy

[TrackCoach]

C.) Crazy


It is easy to just say Crazy; can you expand on that.

[xcrunna]

You're crazy because there's no reason to think she's better than athletes like Jepkosgei, Meadows, or Semenya(if (s)he counts). They've accumulated medals and have better PR's.

[SprintsFTW19]

Alyssa Johnson is the best 800m runner in world.

Call me:
-Stating the obvious
-A glass half full
-Crazy

Just like LV is going to go 8:2x/13:2x by the end of the summer, right?

[matthewxcountry]

c) crazy

this year there are 6 women who have run faster

1:57.56 Mariya Savinova (http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=RUS/athcode=231384/index.html)
1:57.75 Nancy Jebet Langat (http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=KEN/athcode=115330/index.html)
1:57.84 Janeth Jepkosgei Busienei (http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=KEN/athcode=171449/index.html)
1:58.22 Phoebe Wright (http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=USA/athcode=235180/index.html)
1:58.40 Halima Hachlaf (http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=MAR/athcode=196096/index.html)
1:58.62 Kenia Sinclair (http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=JAM/athcode=188037/index.html)
1:58.84 Alysia Johnson (http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=USA/athcode=207129/index.html)

In the past 2 years you would have to add some more people in the mix (I'm not sure how many of these athletes plan on staying competitive). Also Jepkosgei's PR drops by about a minute.

1:54.01 Pamela Jelimo (http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=KEN/athcode=241321/index.html)
1:54.85 Elena Soboleva (http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=RUS/athcode=193929/index.html)
1:56.00 Tatyana Andrianova (http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=RUS/athcode=136842/index.html)
1:56.64 Svetlana Klyuka (http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=RUS/athcode=187457/index.html)
1:56.67 Ekaterina Kostetskaya (http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=RUS/athcode=196561/index.html)

and in addition to all that, she does not have the fastest time in the US. I do believe she is the best in the USA right now, but she hasn't even won every race if you take out all the foreign athletes. So yes to her being the best in the USA (but its close), but your crazy to think she is the best in the world just because she won a single race.

[TrackCoach]

I did not say Alysia is best over the last couple of couple of years; I said she is the best in the world, meaning right now. To Alyssa's benefit the women's 800 has taken a few steps backwards from a couple of years ago. In case you have'nt noticed, there is no more Maria Matola, Hana Bahassia, Calatudaid Zulia or Pamela Jelimo and most of the top Eastern European ladies have split the sence as well. Gone are the days of 1:54/55; for now at least, you can win with 1:57s.

I know it has been a couple of years, but in 2007 Alysia won the NCAA indoor and outdoor championship as a 20 year old junior and won a USATF Championship that year beating several 1:58 ladies along the way. She has had some problems the last couple of years, in fact, I think she took an entire year off. Her status was so uncertain that USATF actually removed her bio from the website. But, she did not retire, her talent didn't just dissappear and what she is doing now was always expected. At CAL, she had one of the greatest U.S. coaches ever, Tony Sandoval and he said back then that Alysia could be one of the greatest meter runners ever. She always had tremendous talent and now she is back and I doubt she is going to settle for winning national championships.

With that as a backdrop, lets put her Gateshead victory into perpective. The time was not that great, but most of the Gateshead times were slow because of the wind. However, she won a Diamond League race full of ladies with 1:57 PRs and she won that race negative splitting and running away from the field. Under better circumstances, that probably would have been a 1:57 performance; Alysia was the only women who ran under 2 minutes. I know Alysia fell off of most people radar the last couple of year, but I am telling you that when she is healthy, she is scary good. I want make any time predictions, but with her speed and strenght, she is going to be difficult to beat.

[xcrunna]

I did not say Alysia is best over the last couple of couple of years; I said she is the best in the world, meaning right now. To Alyssa's benefit the women's 800 has taken a few steps backwards from a couple of years ago. In case you have'nt noticed, there is no more Maria Matola, Hana Bahassia, Calatudaid Zulia or Pamela Jelimo and most of the top Eastern European ladies have split the sence as well. Gone are the days of 1:54/55; for now at least, you can win with 1:57s.

I know it has been a couple of years, but in 2007 Alysia won the NCAA indoor and outdoor championship as a 20 year old junior and won a USATF Championship that year beating several 1:58 ladies along the way. She has had some problems the last couple of years, in fact, I think she took an entire year off. Her status was so uncertain that USATF actually removed her bio from the website. But, she did not retire, her talent didn't just dissappear and what she is doing now was always expected. At CAL, she had one of the greatest U.S. coaches ever, Tony Sandoval and he said back then that Alysia could be one of the greatest meter runners ever. She always had tremendous talent and now she is back and I doubt she is going to settle for winning national championships.

With that as a backdrop, lets put her Gateshead victory into perpective. The time was not that great, but most of the Gateshead times were slow because of the wind. However, she won a Diamond League race full of ladies with 1:57 PRs and she won that race negative splitting and running away from the field. Under better circumstances, that probably would have been a 1:57 performance; Alysia was the only women who ran under 2 minutes. I know Alysia fell off of most people radar the last couple of year, but I am telling you that when she is healthy, she is scary good. I want make any time predictions, but with her speed and strenght, she is going to be difficult to beat.
One race does not make her the best, just as Pre did not make her the worst and so on. She has looked very good this season, but so have many others who have medaled/won more and ran faster times. No doubt, the women's 800 is weaker the last couple years. Still Jepkosgei is rock solid and young(despite one bad race where she got jostled), and there are other women who have run faster than Johnson and beaten her before. On her best day, she's capable of beating many although an actual 1:56-1:57 would give further credence to that notion.

[matthewxcountry]

I'd say the last post sums up my thoughts pretty well. Shes a contender but winning one race does not make her the best in the world right now, especially when she has the 7th fastest time right now. I'd stick her in 4th or so, but she is not far outside the top, in any given match up any of the top 5 or so athletes in the womens 800 have proven they are capable of winning with a good race.

[TrackCoach]

I'd say the last post sums up my thoughts pretty well. Shes a contender but winning one race does not make her the best in the world right now, especially when she has the 7th fastest time right now. I'd stick her in 4th or so, but she is not far outside the top, in any given match up any of the top 5 or so athletes in the womens 800 have proven they are capable of winning with a good race.


Oviously I am not going on one race, AJ took 3rd at world indoors, 1st at USATF and from what I saw her do as a college jr spoke to me. I think she has the potential to be a consistent low 1:57 gal if she stays healthy.

[kingcoe]

I'm just happy that American female middle distance runners at least continue to be a threat. Think about it . . . we've been pretty much a side note in the 800 for a looooong time and this year and last we now have Pierce, Johnson and Vessey all WINNING races on the Euro circuit.

Phoebe Wright looked very promising too. Her sprint looked great and she is at the end of a very long season. Just glad we are back in the hunt.

[Green Lantern]

I'm just happy that American female middle distance runners at least continue to be a threat. Think about it . . . we've been pretty much a side note in the 800 for a looooong time and this year and last we now have Pierce, Johnson and Vessey all WINNING races on the Euro circuit.

Phoebe Wright looked very promising too. Her sprint looked great and she is at the end of a very long season. Just glad we are back in the hunt.

I agree with the premise, but we won't be more than a side note in the 800 until we actually focus on 800 runners competing consistently well. Pierce is a steepler->1500->800, Vessey has dropped some bombs time wise, Johnson is just reaching world stage.

I'm looking forward for Wright because the 800 seems so much more natural a slot for her than anyone else.

[matthewxcountry]

Oviously I am not going on one race, AJ took 3rd at world indoors, 1st at USATF and from what I saw her do as a college jr spoke to me. I think she has the potential to be a consistent low 1:57 gal if she stays healthy.

So she won USATF, no one in the top 3 right now is from the US. 3rd at world indoors, but was beat by quite a bit, and several of the best runners in the world did not run that race. Like I said, I agree she is the best in the USA but I don't think we can call her best in the world until we actually see some 1:57s, especially when a handful of other women have already done it this year.

So let me get this straight, you're saying that the world indoor 3rd place finisher is better than the indoor world champion, and also fastest person in the world this year. In addition Savinova wasn't even in the race Alyssa won. Yes I think thats a little crazy. In head to head competition Savinova has beat Alyssa every time, and yet you think Alyssa is the best in the world? She may have the potential to become the best, but she is not there yet.

[kang6789]

1:57.85 today ftw.

http://www.fidal.it/2010/COD2226/Gara108.htm

[xcrunna]

She ran 1:57.8 to beat Vessey who ran 1:59.0. She now has a pretty good PR to add to her accomplishments. I think she can now legitimately say she is a strong medal threat. Best in the world is a bit farfetched because Caster Semenya(A Secret Man? Yes) is a 1:52 guy I do believe(literally).

[TrackCoach]

She ran 1:57.8 to beat Vessey who ran 1:59.0. She now has a pretty good PR to add to her accomplishments. I think she can now legitimately say she is a strong medal threat. Best in the world is a bit farfetched because Caster Semenya(A Secret Man? Yes) is a 1:52 guy I do believe(literally).

When I made the best in the world statement, I was thinking in part about what I saw her do as an NCAA 'true' junior and a statement her coach made back then about her potential. In my mind she is basically getting to where she would have been over the last 2 years had she been healthy. I ran the 800 for many years and coached it for many more and there are some positive intangibles I see in Alysa. Three things, the 1st thing is coming through the first lap with a body posture that looks like you are striding as opposed to sprinting; that's not about strength, but having raw speed. It helps that Alysa has 53x 400 speed, which is not super, but is certainly good enough to feel comfortable going out in 57. The 2nd thing is having the muscular strength to power down the final straight a way. There really is no such thing as a kick in the 800; it is a matter of who can still lift their legs that last 75 meters when they are burning with lactic acid. The 3rd thing is being like a point guard on a fast break and having the instincts to get the ball to the open man. You can't being doing a lot of thinking, I think athletes like Willard, Lagat and even Webb are perhaps too smart to be 800m 'champions'. You have to forget about being boxed, who is in front of you, back of you, how you feel, what feel, assessing yourself and your competitors...at the 500m mark take a peek over at the finish line and just like a kid at the playground, your only thought is being the first to the monkey bars. Those 3 things alone are what make great 800m runners.

I don't think Alysa is ever going to run a great 400m or mile; God gave her that perfect balance for one event. Alysa reminds me very much of Anna Curouit (the Cuban girl from the mid 90s) and Maria Mutola. I am not saying she is in their league yet, but I see the same natural abilities. The good news is, I see those same quality in Wright and Vessy as well, although I suspect Alysa has more raw speed than those girls. The bad news is, I don't see those qualities in no other U.S. 800 meter runners male or female. It does not mean athletes like Willard, Andrews and Wheating, etc. will not run great times in the 800, I just think they have more potential in other events. Just like Curouit, Mutola Johnny Gray, Wilson Kipketieir…Alysa, Wright and Vessy will be one trick ponies.

Like I said in an earlier post, this is perhaps not the 1:55/56 year for Alysa, but any athlete this year who can run consistently run in the 1:57s, can be the best in the world. Hopefully in the next 2 years as Jelimo, Janek K. Symenya and the Russians return to top form, Alysa will have upped her game as well.

[matthewxcountry]

When I made the best in the world statement, I was thinking in part about what I saw her do as an NCAA 'true' junior and a statement her coach made back then about her potential. In my mind she is basically getting to where she would have been over the last 2 years had she been healthy. I ran the 800 for many years and coached it for many more and there are some positive intangibles I see in Alysa. Three things, the 1st thing is coming through the first lap with a body posture that looks like you are striding as opposed to sprinting; that's not about strength, but having raw speed. It helps that Alysa has 53x 400 speed, which is not super, but is certainly good enough to feel comfortable going out in 57. The 2nd thing is having the muscular strength to power down the final straight a way. There really is no such thing as a kick in the 800; it is a matter of who can still lift their legs that last 75 meters when they are burning with lactic acid. The 3rd thing is being like a point guard on a fast break and having the instincts to get the ball to the open man. You can't being doing a lot of thinking, I think athletes like Willard, Lagat and even Webb are perhaps too smart to be 800m 'champions'. You have to forget about being boxed, who is in front of you, back of you, how you feel, what feel, assessing yourself and your competitors...at the 500m mark take a peek over at the finish line and just like a kid at the playground, your only thought is being the first to the monkey bars. Those 3 things alone are what make great 800m runners.

I don't think Alysa is ever going to run a great 400m or mile; God gave her that perfect balance for one event. Alysa reminds me very much of Anna Curouit (the Cuban girl from the mid 90s) and Maria Mutola. I am not saying she is in their league yet, but I see the same natural abilities. The good news is, I see those same quality in Wright and Vessy as well, although I suspect Alysa has more raw speed than those girls. The bad news is, I don't see those qualities in no other U.S. 800 meter runners male or female. It does not mean athletes like Willard, Andrews and Wheating, etc. will not run great times in the 800, I just think they have more potential in other events. Just like Curouit, Mutola Johnny Gray, Wilson Kipketieir…Alysa, Wright and Vessy will be one trick ponies.

Like I said in an earlier post, this is perhaps not the 1:55/56 year for Alysa, but any athlete this year who can run consistently run in the 1:57s, can be the best in the world. Hopefully in the next 2 years as Jelimo, Janek K. Symenya and the Russians return to top form, Alysa will have upped her game as well.

Oh no question. She definitely has the goods to become best in the world, if that was your major point I missed it. She is not the best in the world now, but certainly can be in the future. I've always viewed her as what I refer to as a power grinder. She pushes the pace hard from the start, but in an intelligent fashion (just enough to grind the kick out of the fastest runners). Then she powers home in the last 200. She doesn't necessarily do it very fast, but it is often enough to hold off the people she wore down with the honest initial pace. She may not be the fastest in the field or have the most endurance but she has a great balance of the two which should really help her win races.

[xcrunna]

Well that run I just saw by Johnson was absolutely terrifying. I'll have to take a glance at the field again. That was utter dominance, Trackcoach might be onto something. It was as they say a woman amongst girls. Unfortunately, it will have to be woman amongst a man when Semenya rejoins the fray.
EDIT: 1:57.34 official winning by almost 1.5 seconds
56 high at 400 and 1:27 mid at 600.

[BlackIrish]

Just wait til Pamela Jelimo or Sobolena gets back into form :o

[TrackCoach]

Like I said, anyone who can run consistent 1:57s this year can be the best in the world. Good race by the other U.S. ladies as well and I really wish Willard would give the 1500 her full atention; I think she is a very good 800m runner, who can be a great miler.

[xcrunna]

Just wait til Pamela Jelimo or Sobolena gets back into form :o
I think you may be waiting a long time!

[orthostice]

Just wait til Pamela Jelimo or Sobolena gets back into form :o

Soboleva is banned until May 2011, at which point she would face the additional hurdle of actually having to submit to out-of-competition drug testing.

[kingcoe]

TrackCoach - I have to admit I didn't see it when you posted this thread but after watching her take control in Monaco and just keep going you seem to have quite the crystal ball.

I could see her easily dipping into the 1:56s this year. Impressive. That half second improvement moved her waaaay up the US All Time List too.