Andrew Wheating

[white lightning]

Andrew Wheating became the 2nd fastest american in history today over 1500 meters in Monaco. He towers over everyone at a massive 6'5 inches tall. He seems more built for football or basketball but he has that once in a life time talent. Amazing run. Here is a link about todays race and how he is rewriting the history books!

http://www.letsrun.com/2010/monacowheating0722.php

 

[mastermulti]

he certainly looked tall when Bernard Langat came up to congratulate him. The interview shows he and Gregson as being very friendly. Let's watch them push each other along.
Gregson must spend a lot of time away from here to race the top guys frequently. Wheating will have to travel a lot too I guess.

They will both have to run in the top group often to learn how to be top themselves... just like Lemaitre in the 100Edited by: mastermulti

 

[white lightning]

Andrew Wheating is built alot like Craig Mottram. It is strange to see tall guys be able to run distance events like that! It just goes to show how anyone with good genetics despite your build can possibly succeed at anything from the sprints to the distance events. It also goes to prove that for every talented white track athlete we see, many, many more will go into other sports or fields of trade. If we ever got more participation in general, we would be competetive in all of the events period!

 

[mastermulti]

I saw Mottram referred to by one of his main competitors as that fast "long white guy" which I suppose he is.
Wheating will become the "very long white guy" haha

 

[white lightning]

Very long is right. As they would say in spanish, El Gigante. Hope I'm saying it right. Lol.

What Wheating is doing is just as important as what Lemaitre is doing! It's all about getting rid of the stupid stereotypes that the media and people in general believe. If I hear whites can't run or jump one more time, I think I will scream. I defend my heritage and my people at every opportunity. Whites truely are the most gifted athletes on earth. They dominate more sports than anyone ever has or ever will. Yet the constant jokes and criticism. In other words the constant racism against whites.

Andrew Wheating is going to be a star. He reminds me a little of the stud swimmer Michael Phelps. They just don't make them any better than these two. Physical Specimens!

 

[trackster]

Yep, as you know, I've been talking about Wheating for some time, and I have to say that the European season has played out brilliantly for him so far. My hope was always that he would ratchet up his game to a higher level once he started facing Kenyans instead of tactically-oriented US collegians. That's exactly what's happened. Both he and Gregson have annihilated their previous personal bests.

In general, this raises the question: how much better could non-African runners be if they once and for all gave up the obsession with tactical races? In the US, Wheating runs 1500s at a dawdling pace, but in his very first race v. the Kenyans, he lops six seconds off his best time! How many other runners could do the same? The Kenyans and Ethiopians simply don't run tactically. They run HARD. In practice, too. European distance runners need to adopt that strategy/mentality.

Mark my words--the times for the 800 and up in the Euro championships will be embarrassingly slow. Take out the Kenyans, and everyone will immediately go (yawn) tactical. I wish some European runners would rise up to challenge that way of running.

 

[Swede]

I´ts all about motivation.

A guy who have been to Kenya told me this:
In Kenya there is one TV-set per 50 citizen. They do run much more then the average westerner i every day life. But the most important is that the succesful runner ar really rich in Kenya. They become financial upper class along with the richest bankers.

Let me give you an example. If a good but not great kenyan runner comes to the european curcuit and place well in a few races, on not neccesarily extremely high level, he can turn back in september with enough money to support his family for at year or more.
If a guy from Europe make exactly the same effort, earning the same money, it won´t last at all. Its more expensive to live in Europeans, and there are more distractions. He rather loses oppertunities for better paid jobs or time for studies.

We have a very good steeplechaser in Sweden. His name is Mustafa Mohamed and is black with origins from Somalia (a very, very descent guy). He trains in Kenya in the winter and have told the swedish press how hard they work they running there and what they said to him when he told them about his high standard life in Sweden.

"So why do you run?", they asked him.

Mustafa also made a very good point once he was asked by swedish media if he had an advantage as a runner, since he is of african origin:


"My only advantage is that you think I have an advantage.", he said.

Remember that qoute

 

[Swede]

More Expensive to live in Europe it is....

I have no idea how expensive it is to live inside a european....

 

[Observer]

Swede, excellent, excellent post.

 

[mastermulti]

"in general, this raises the question: how much better could non-African runners be if they once and for all gave up the obsession with tactical races? " Trackster

good point, a great tactical mind is fine......if you aren't already 50m behind the "go for broke" African runners.

Swede: good points. We train hard to teach, do law, become a master craftsman etc. It gives us a reason to get up each day and it also earns us a good living.
In Kenya where educational and employment opportunities are limited but the money to live is still essential, it's not hard to see why people with some talent (that can be inexpensively improved upon by hard training)would put it to best use.
I'm certain I would do likewise to feed my family. It's as if those days of training are actually contributing to earning a living from day one if long term results are taken into consideration

 

[white lightning]

Wheating rapped up his Euro Summer Season with another p.b. of 1.44.56 in the 800 finishing 2nd. Nick Symonds finished 3rd. The US middle and long distance teams are really looking strong going into 2011 and 2012. This is very exciting as the US has not been up to par for many years in the longer distances. Andrew Wheating just might be an Olympic Gold Medalist when all is said and done. He is a freak of nature and I love to watch him run. Edited by: white lightning

 

[mastermulti]

sub 1.45s are always great. I think the lazy 1.48s don't help an 800 runner to improve to world class. We settle for 1.47-1.48 too often here in Australia.

You gotta be prepared to hurt in the 800.

 

[trackster]

Yeah, Wheating really proved his mettle in Europe. In yesterday's race, he finally abandoned his old tactic of sticking to the back and kicking. In fact, he ran in second for much of the race. So he's learned his lesson about letting the east Africans get too big a lead. In fact, Wheating's move forced Symmonds to change his tactic and follow him. So if Wheating succeeds, he may transform the style of US distance running. We've been needing someone gutsy enough to do that. European style sit-and-kick is so dreadful that it's been killing mid-distance.

Having followed him for a while, I think Wheating's true potential is at 1500/mile. His 3:30 1500 is far classier than his fastest time in the 800 (1:44.56 just won't cut it in the Rudisha/Kaki world). I'm glad that he runs the 800, though, just to stay sharp.

Now, I'm in the wrong topic for this, but two interesting races today in London:

1) the 400, with Wariner, Kevin Borlee, Rooney, and Gillick against some tough cookies. I'd love to see them go 1-4.

2) the mile, which I wish Wheating had run, instead of the 800. The very young but promising Aussie, Mr. Gregson, will be running, along with this year's mega-disappointment from England, Andrew Baddely. Super nasty competition, so it will be good for Gregson.

 

[greyghost]

great stuff by wheating , a real talent. usa has began to put together some really good middle distance competitors

 

[trackster]

I refuse to give up my campaign to get this board interested in events other than the 100. Here's a new SI article on Andrew Wheating, the young American who's showing real potential to be the Kenyan-beater we've been needing in the mid-distances. Remember guys, the 100 isn't really track's premier event. The mile is!
<a href="http://%20sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1174412/1/index.htm" target="_blank">
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1174412/1/index.htm</a>

 

[mastermulti]

fair enough Trackster....... I empathise with you.
events that have long been deserted by the white athlete but now have some talents breaking out should be supported.

Craig Mottram started it for me, Ryan Gregon and a few more are appearing, and that's just in my country.

Wheating also has me intrigued (Bolt's height wth?).
Bob Kennedy was a standout.
Alan Webb got my attention too but never went on with it somehow

 

[trackster]

Speaking of which...there is news on both Mottram and Gregson. Gregson has a broken navicular bone and is having to sit out the Commonwealth games. Hopefully, it doesn't keep him down too long, but ,as many of us know, the further down the body you get, the longer it takes to heal. Case in point: Craig Mottram, who hasn't run since 2008. He's had Achilles Tendinosis (the very same injury that's been ruining my life!!!). He's about to run again in Newcastle, and you'd better believe I'm pulling for him big time, just like I pull for fellow Achilles sufferer Alan Webb. Here's an article on Mottram:

http://www.universalsports.com/news/article/newsid=492774.html

 

[mastermulti]

deletedEdited by: mastermulti

 

[mastermulti]

informative article, thanks for that!

He sounds a smart and articulate man. Obviously developing that virtue called "patience" too

here's an article I just found on Gregson (and Risely).. gboth out of the Com Games


Gregson