Rhoden is going to surprise over 800 – coach

WHEN TAREES Rhoden burst into the lead at the Atlantic Coast Conference indoor 800-metre final on February 26, the move was part of a plan hatched by the tall Clemson University athlete and his coach, Jamaican Mark Elliot. The plan worked as Rhoden strode to victory on a tight Virginia Tech track, in one minute 48.62 seconds (1:48.62).

The 21-year-old didn’t think his bold move was risky.

“I wasn’t worried at 600, because they can’t outsprint me. I’m the fastest at 400, so it was a good race,” the 2019 Kingston College captain told reporters afterward.

“Actually, the strategy was to take charge even earlier than that, but the race went out faster than we anticipated. So he did the smart thing by just sitting with the leader, but then, by 500, he knew he had to be leading because, if he’s ahead at 500, it would be a difficult task for his competitor within the conference to outsprint him. We’ve been watching him all year, “ said Elliot.

According to Elliot, who coaches Jamaica’s 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Natoya Goule, speed is now the key to the 800.

“Our mentality in Jamaica, I don’t know why it is, we don’t think we can run the eight, so I’m getting him to understand he can.”

The coach is working on Rhoden’s approach to the race.

“It’s just more about him getting out of being afraid to run it and be aggressive like how Natoya is, how all the other guys I’ve coached over the years are. Being aggressive and understanding that speed is the plus”, Elliot explained.

4x400 RELAY WIN

Rhoden was second at halfway in 52.9 seconds and took command after that. He also ran a 47.3 second leg to help Clemson win the 4x400 metres.

American Brandon Miller ran 1:45.24 seconds in Texas during the same week, with the first lap covered in 50.17 seconds, and Elliot extrapolated.

“He was at 50 point. If you can run 46 in the quarter, coming through at 50 point should not be a tall task.”

Rhoden’s outdoor 400-metre best is 46.65.

According to the coach, who guided Kenyan David Kiptoo to the 1996 Olympic final, the Virginia Tech track has lanes which are 38 inches wide, while those at Clemson are 4 inches wider.

“On Virginia Tech’s track, it’s such a tight turn that most tall people literally stop within the turn, just to make the turn. It is a good track, don’t get me wrong, but just from the physics side of it, it just doesn’t work for tall sprinters. For him to run 1:48.6, he’s ready and he will be a surprise outdoors because then none of those things apply outdoors.”

Rhoden set a personal best 1:48.05 on his home track at Clemson early in February. That time makes the youngster the eighth fastest Jamaican in history.