Yet Another Sub-Two

When LaTavia Thomas — The Armory's collegiate record holder in the 800-meter run (2:04.54) — broke through the two-minute barrier at the Flanders Cup in Belgium on Sunday, she became the 12th American to do so since the 2008 Olympic Games. That is a staggering amount of talent gearing up for the 2012 London Games among the U.S. women's middle distance forces.

Thomas, who starred for LSU at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational and now trains with the New Jersey-New York Track Club, is the youngest of the pack, which includes Alysia Johnson Montano, Maggie Vessey, Phoebe Wright and Morgan Uceny. Her 1:59.67 was two seconds better than her previous best.

"I wanted to stay close to the pace and for the first time I went through at the bell as fast as 57.5 and that gave me wings," Thomas said of her Belgian race. "I still had something left at 600m and gave it everything. This was all new to me because I'm not a front runner and still I moved into unknown territory. To break the two minutes barrier has always been a goal, but to finally do it is very special indeed."

It is conceivable that the 2012 U.S. Trials could produce a sub-two performer... who fails to advance to the final. Here's a list of the top U.S. performers in the middle distances since the Beijing Games:

800-meter run

1,500-meter run