100 Seconds to beat The World: The David Rudisha Story (Tuesday 10pm BBC4)

Skid X

Documentary telling the story of Kenyan athlete David Rudisha, the greatest 800m runner the world has ever seen, and his highly unusual coach, the Irish Catholic missionary Brother Colm O'Connell.

Shot over ten years, the film begins in 2005 when we first meet David as a shy 16-year-old arriving at a training camp with nothing but a dream of emulating his father's 1968 Olympic silver medal. The camp is run by the unlikeliest of coaches, missionary and amateur athletics trainer Brother Colm, who quickly spots his talent. Together they embark on a journey through injury, disappointment and terror when violence sweeps through the country in the aftermath of the 2008 election, all the way to the 2012 Olympics and the greatest 800m race the world has ever seen.

With unprecedented access and featuring interviews with Seb Coe and Steve Cram, this is an epic, magical and uplifting tale that reaches far beyond sport.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04bdr54

Looks good, only an hour long but hopefully it'll have some great footage of David Rudisha (and Brother Colm). Repeated Thursday July 31st at 12.45am

walshb

Anyone think 140 seconds flat will be reached in our time?

EauRouge79

Thanks for heads up. Appears to be on a 10pm as opposed to 9pm though.

Skid X

EauRouge79 wrote: »

Thanks for heads up. Appears to be on a 10pm as opposed to 9pm though.

Well spotted, I've updated it now. Thanks

ecoli

walshb wrote: »

Anyone think 140 seconds flat will be reached in our time?

Still a long way off IMO, I reckon that Rudisha in prime shape in a paced race in 2012 was probably in about 1.40.6x shape. I think post injury it will be a while, if ever till we see him get back to that level.

We are also in a golden age of 800m running yet the only person getting near it is Rudisha (could argue Amos but 1.41.73 with Rudisha effectively as a pacer would probably mean that his talent would probably see him get close enough but probably not overtake Rudisha's mark)

I reckon there will be a lull for years and probably a long time before we get to the level where 1.39.59 looks in the realms of possibility (maybe not as long as sub 2 marathon but I reckon they are comparable enough)

Oregano_State

walshb wrote: »

Anyone think 140 seconds flat will be reached in our time?

If someone in the current crop doesn't do it within the next 3/4 years then it could be another 20 before it happens.

If Nijel Amos cleans up his technique by about a million percent, I'd tip him ahead of Rudisha to be the one to do it.

Oregano_State

ecoli wrote: »

Still a long way off IMO, I reckon that Rudisha in prime shape in a paced race in 2012 was probably in about 1.40.6x shape. I think post injury it will be a while, if ever till we see him get back to that level.

We are also in a golden age of 800m running yet the only person getting near it is Rudisha (could argue Amos but 1.41.73 with Rudisha effectively as a pacer would probably mean that his talent would probably see him get close enough but probably not overtake Rudisha's mark)

I reckon there will be a lull for years and probably a long time before we get to the level where 1.39.59 looks in the realms of possibility (maybe not as long as sub 2 marathon but I reckon they are comparable enough)

Yeah I'd generally agree with this, apart maybe the bit about Amos as he was very young. Officially he's 20 now, and I'd say looking at him that he's no more than 22. Basically he has time to improve. If he works on tactics and running form, he can def go 1:40.xx, maybe more.

I wouldn't count Rudishs out at all either, he's gone from injury to 1:44-mid to 1:42-high in a couple of weeks. Next season should see him back at least close to his best.

yaboya1

walshb wrote: »

Anyone think 140 seconds flat will be reached in our time?

It's already been reached & breached. Didn't Rudisha run 100:91

ecoli

Oregano_State wrote: »

Yeah I'd generally agree with this, apart maybe the bit about Amos as he was very young. Officially he's 20 now, and I'd say looking at him that he's no more than 22. Basically he has time to improve. If he works on tactics and running form, he can def go 1:40.xx, maybe more.

I wouldn't count Rudishs out at all either, he's gone from injury to 1:44-mid to 1:42-high in a couple of weeks. Next season should see him back at least close to his best.

Personally I don't think Amos has the characteristics to be truly great for a number of reasons

- London 2012 was perfectly paced race. You could well see majority of that field never better their marks (save perhaps Rudisha given the absence of a pace maker for him)

- Rudisha has the perfect pace maker in Sammy Tangui. While there is no doubting Rudisha's talent I think a good bit of credit for his continuity of fast times has been the result of personal pace maker

-Amos "DJ" career to me shows that he is lacking the temperament of a truly great champion who is able to do above and beyond what is needed to match his unquestionable talent

Ron DMC

EauRouge79 wrote: »

Thanks for heads up. Appears to be on a 10pm as opposed to 9pm though.

Even better, means I've time for a long run before it starts. Might do some 800m splits just to get in the right headspace.

nerraw1111

Bump

Skid X

Some great footage on this show from Brother Colm's camp. Strange to think David Rudisha was a reluctant 800 metre runner.

Ososlo

Thanks for posting this Skid X as I wouldn't have known about it. Best thing I've seen on the telly in a long time. A gem!

YFlyer

I missed it. Is it online yet?

nerraw1111

Such a lovely film.

PaulieC

Always nice to see a top performer who isn't an egotistical, self-centered w*nker. Such a grounded individual, was delighted for him winning (even though I knew he'd won )

manlad

David is the definition of an athlete. His form and body position at full speed is awesome.

adrian522

That was an excellent documentary, thanks for the heads up!

macinalli

YFlyer wrote: »

I missed it. Is it online yet?

See post 1 about a repeat. Worth recording!

ClashCityRocker

Both Rudisha and Br Colm came across as absolute gentelmen. Lovely to watch, and as Paulie said even though we knew the result it was great to see the nice guy finish first! Some great early footage of his early days at the camp in there

Oregano_State

ecoli wrote: »

Personally I don't think Amos has the characteristics to be truly great for a number of reasons

- London 2012 was perfectly paced race. You could well see majority of that field never better their marks (save perhaps Rudisha given the absence of a pace maker for him)

- Rudisha has the perfect pace maker in Sammy Tangui. While there is no doubting Rudisha's talent I think a good bit of credit for his continuity of fast times has been the result of personal pace maker

-Amos "DJ" career to me shows that he is lacking the temperament of a truly great champion who is able to do above and beyond what is needed to match his unquestionable talent

I'd no idea about Amos being a DJ, or anything other than what I'd seen of him on the track, so I did some googling. Apparently he turned into a right little diva after the Olympics, his family were quoted in the Botswanan media complaining about how he'd started treating them.

It looks like you're spot on about his temperament if even half the stuff I read was true.

BeepBeep67

YFlyer wrote: »

I missed it. Is it online yet?

On BBC4 Friday week if you can record: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04bdr54

Bahanaman

YFlyer wrote: »

I missed it. Is it online yet?

It's repeated on Friday the first of August at 00:45. So I'm assuming that's Thursday night! Brilliant documentary. Two humble men.

YFlyer

Cheers

Ron DMC

Just found this on youtube if anyone wants some further viewing on Brother Colm. Presented by our very own Eamonn Coughlan no less.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmXN-kQZ04M

dublin runner

Even though I have yet to run an 800m race, he is my favourite runner by a mile (or just under half of one anyway ).

Cona

My favourite part of 'Man on a Mission' I think, was when Br OConnell was asked "what is the secret"? He just smiles and replies, "the secret is, you think there is a secret"

Brilliant. Just shows how much emphasis he places on working incredibly hard over years and years to be the best

Skid X

This is repeated late tonight (Thursday) on BBC Four at 12.45 am if you missed it.

And the man himself goes in the 800 metres Commonweath Games final this evening (BBC1, 7.50pm)

walshb

Am I the only one who found it a bit boring?

What was the story with the Iris priest putting on a Kenyan accent?

tang1

walshb wrote: »

What was the story with the Iris priest putting on a Kenyan accent?

Go live in Kenya for 40 years and see if you dont pick up a bit of the accent.

Pherekydes

walshb wrote: »

What was the story with the Iris priest putting on a Kenyan accent?

He's been living there for 38 years. What would you expect?

walshb

It just seemed more forced at certain times.

That 800m race in London was awesome. Some stats from it.