MEN'S 800M PREVIEW | WOMEN'S 800M PREVIEW

Ajee Wilson on her way to winning the 2014 USA Outdoor Championship title in the 800m.

The women’s 800m could be one of the most difficult teams to make in the 2015 World Championship year as nine women have run 2:00 and under this season, and several more individuals have posted sub 2:00 personal best marks in their career. The two-lap showdown will be settled at Hayward Field beginning with the first round Thursday at 3:40 p.m. PT. 

 

2013 World Championships finalist Ajee Wilson has been virtually unbeaten this season with the exception of her runner-up finish at the Pre Classic. Despite being out-kicked by Eunice Sum of Kenya, Wilson was still able to run a season’s best of 1:57.87 at Hayward Field, which is 0.2 off of her personal best. Wilson is coming off of another dominating win at the adidas Grand Prix where she swept the field in 1:58.83 against a group that included top U.S. contenders Chanelle Price, Molly Ludlow, and Brenda Martinez. 

 

Martinez has demonstrated some fearless tactics this outdoor season, notably her aggressive surge at the Pre Classic that led to a season’s best of 1:59.06 and a third-place finish overall. As she’s communicated on her Twitter profile, the 2013 World Bronze medalist has been challenged to race “tough” from her coach Joe Vigil. 
 

She may be coming off of a disappointing fifth-place finish at the adidas Grand Prix, but as we’ve seen from the past few years, Martinez is well acquainted with the art of successfully running rounds. 

 

Ludlow is shaping up to be another stunner at the USA Outdoor Championships after running a solo 1:59.81 at the Music City Distance Carnival June 6, and a 1:59.93 at the adidas Grand Prix the following week. Ludlow was also a critical member of the Team USA 4x800m squad that broke the American record at the World Relays in the Bahamas in May. Ludlow has never made a World or Olympic team, but her momentum heading into the championships shows that she is hitting her stride at the perfect time. 

Chanelle Price, Maggie Vessey, Molly Ludlow and Alysia Montano after winning the 4x800m relay at the World Relays in Nassau, Bahamas. 

2014 World Indoor Champion Chanelle Price hasn’t had the most consistent of seasons, but 2015 has also seen several notable highlights. In her outdoor season opener, Price clocked a then-world leading time of 2:00.62 at Florida Relays, her fastest season opener to date. She continued at Drake Relays with a ninth-place finish and disappointing 2:03 mark, but returned one week later to place fourth at the Hoka One One Middle Distance Classic in 2:01. She walked away with a sixth-place finish at the Pre Classic in 2:00, and more recently clocked a season’s best of 1:59 at the adidas Grand Prix. Price was also a crucial part of the American record-setting 4x800m relay squad at World Relays. 

 

The anchor leg of that world relay squad was non other than four-time national champion Alysia Montano. 2015 has seen Montano on a return from giving birth to her first child Linnea, who was born August 15, 2014. Montano famously competed at the 2014 USA Outdoor Championships while 34 weeks pregnant with Linnea, capturing world-wide attention of media and track fans. In her return to competition, Montano earned a national title in the 600m at the USA Indoor Championships and more recently a season’s best of 2:01 at the Drake Relays. 

 

Montano’s attempt to regain her national title will not only be challenged by Wilson, Martinez, Ludlow and Price, but she will also have to prepare for formidable opponents in Maggie Vessey and Claudia Saunders. 

 

Vessey, the 800m veteran and fashion icon has run her way into national contention all season, all while wearing her own stylish racing kits. 

Black and classy - lace and high waist. Another stylish outfit from @maggievessey pic.twitter.com/k5cUuDpqqg

— IAAF (@iaaforg) May 30, 2015

 

Saunders is returning from a breakout performance at the NCAA Championships where she finished runner-up to Oregon freshman Raevyn Rogers in a new personal best of 2:00. Saunders has mastered the art of peaking at the perfect time as seen from her season progression over the past couple months and ability to successfully knock off rounds. The NCAA Championships were a perfect example as Saunders finished runner-up in section 1 in 2:03 and returned two days later for her runner-up finish and personal best. 

 

With stiff competition from lane one to lane eight, the women’s 800m will be an all-out battle beginning with the preliminary round Thursday at 3:40 p.m. PT.