Miller slingshots around final turn in men's 800m
Watch the LA Grand Prix's men's 800m final with Brandon Miller shooting out of a cannon in the final turn for an emphatic victory.
Video Transcript
All right, Xfinity men's 800 meters, Donovan Brazier stepping on the track.
The first American to win the world 800 meter title.
He was the world champion back in 2019.
He was also the American record holder, and then he got injured, did not compete at all in 2023 or 2024, roared back with 1:42.1 last year, but has been struggling a bit this year.
One of my favorite middle distance runners to run right here, to watch right here, Josh Kerr.
He's a two-time Olympic 1500 meter medalist, a silver in Paris and a bronze in Tokyo, but he's just one of those athletes that's so competitive.
He, if he's in the race, you gotta keep an eye out for him.
Keep- I feel like Brandon Miller has made great strides, no pun intended, in the last two years, making the Olympic team in 2024, and then making the World Indoor team in 2025.
We mentioned Lyles.
This is an off year even though the championships in September, not the world championships, not the Olympics.
And Josh Kerr, in just 34 days, has already announced he's gonna go after the mile world record- Yes of Konem El Guerrouj in London at their Diamond League stop, and this is a good tuneup.
Yep.
Trying to show that speed down in distance.
Yeah, I got a chance to talk to him at the UCLA event a couple weeks ago over in Westwood, and man, it's about as good as I've seen him look, and he certainly He's never, never short on confidence, but he seems very confident that that mile world record is within his reach.
And they're trying to race to 1:42, which again, just crazy times we're just talking about- and it's still only mid-June.
Amankwah of Ghana, the 2020, or 2016 Rio Olympian, is the pace setter.
The field trying to get back into contact with him, and Josh Kerr asserting himself on the outside, moving up into second through the first 51 seconds.
Those of you used to watching his mile events at high know how good of a tactician he is.
Yes.
He always puts himself in a perfect position.
Looks like he's done it here as well.
Yeah, he did that.
He made sure he was able to get the break there on the outside.
There was some jostling on the inside, but he was clear of that, and now clear of the field as they're starting to close down on him here, but the strength of his race is usually the final 200.
And youth has kind of been a theme for us today.
We talked about the three 20-year-olds setting those collegiate records and the world record in the pa- in the person of Thorpe.
But an 18-year-old, Cooper Lutkenhouse, has the world lead, 1:42.0.
But Brandon Miller has the lead now as he just used that final turn to slingshot himself into the lead, and he's gonna win this one going away.
Wow.
Yeah.
What an impressive last 100 meters for Brandon Miller.
1:43.94, that's the best run he's had all season long.
The Paris Olympian looking in good form in Los Angeles.
Yeah, I talked about the fact that the last two years he has just kind of emerged.
We always knew he had talent during his collegiate years, but now he's running times that have put him on teams.
And quite frankly, this run here, his personal best is 1:43.1.
This is 1:43.9.
He has to be thrilled with this.
That last 100- Yeah he looked like a sprinter.
This did not look like someone finishing an 800 meter run.
We talk about Josh Kerr, his strength, his speed, power, his tactics.
Look at him.
I mean, he is full of speed in the 100 meters.
He's gonna do In the last, let's be honest.
No one else Looked like it.
Looked like it.
Looks like, and that's evidenced by the- The gap finish here as he takes the victory in 1:43.94.
And another one- Let's go down to Lewis All right, Brandon has been enjoying some, love from the crowd back here, but what about this performance?
Where did you get that in the last maybe 70 meters or so?
You know, I just felt really good throughout the race.
I did my best to stay patient.
It's been a fortunate issue when I came through a little slow.
I've been doing a lot of strength work, so I just trusted that down the stretch.
I think with, if I was to get out a little faster, I probably could've ran a little faster too, so.
It's still pretty fast.
What did making an Olympic team and then a World Indoor Championship team do for your confidence?
every time you can go out there and achieve something that's your dream, you see you can do it.
Yeah.
I've done it before.
I know I have a lot more to achieve.
God has blessed me with a gift and I'm just out here to show it off.
Great job, man.
Enjoy these fans.
We'll see you soon.
Thank you, sir.
Appreciate you.
Thank you.
