UND9296 wrote:You can see Roesler's 2:03.08 here:
http://www.runnerspace.com/video.php?do ... eo_id=4648 (she's the one in the pink top).
It certainly looks like she can run faster considering how much she had left over the final 200 meters.
No American female high school 800 meter runner has ever gone under 2:00. I really think Roesler has a chance over the next couple of years.
Thanks for the video link. I think you are right about the sub 2:00 possibility. It was probably just what Laura needed to run a race in traffic - when has she ever been in 9th halfway through a race??? But mentally and physically to run from the back of the pack of 58 split ladies was very good for her, and her closing speed - she was still closing at the finish line - was amazing and does make me think she hasn't run her best yet. If she'd started kicking a few meters earlier, she could have won. and gone low 2:02 or even under. Also, I was looking at an article on Chanelle Price, the PA high schooler who just graduated and ran a 2:01.61 the same day laura ran 2:03 (different meet). By June after her sophomore year she had just run a PR of 2:06.23. Now 2 years later Price is almost 5 seconds faster. Everyone progresses differently, but Laura is over 3 seconds ahead of that pace if you look at any parallels. if she cut 5 seconds off her time over 2 years as Price did, you can do the math. She is very disciplined and mature as a runner, but when people in the 2:20's are your comp week in and week out, it's tough to make huge strides. She would be more likely to do it with national/world comp in the summers.
You can check the status of all the Trials entries at
http://www.usatf.org/events/2008/Olympi ... .asp#women When you look at who scratches and who declares, you will be able to see what seed Laura goes in as. Laura's entry status is still "pending". If all the "pending" and "open" entries abover her become declared entries, Laura would be at worst, 18th seed. Semi-finals doesn't look out of reach at all, and then who knows. Best of luck to Roesler and Hermanson.