One to watch: Dutch 800m star Robert Lathouwers

One to watch: Dutch 800m star Robert Lathouwers | 05.06.2008

Robert Lathouwers (NED) proves he can go the
distance - the 800m distance.
Photo by Jannemien Bosman/Hardloopfotos.nl

"Indescribable" was Robert Lathouwers summary of his performance at the Hengelo 800m at the endof May and it is hard to disagree.

In the run the 24-year-old Dutchman imposed himself on a world-class field, crashing from relative obscurity into the limelight, just missing the Olympic qualifying standard with a personal best by almost a second of 1:45.80.

"The fairytale continues," he said, referring to his success as his new distance. "The minimum (1:45.25 for Beijing) will surely come."

You may wonder why it has taken so long for the world to hear of Lathouwers, but that has an easy explanation. Until last year, he was a 400m exponent with a relatively modest CV that would not attract too much attention outside of his native Holland.

But a switch from one lap to two laps has proved the making of the man who is now a competitor to be reckoned with. In Hengelo he dispatched reigning World Champion, Alfred Kirwa Yego (KEN), with the minimum of fuss as well as Yusuf Saad Kamel (BRN), who holds the World Indoor bronze from Valencia earlier this year.

Looking for all the world like an experienced, hard-bitten two-lap runner, Lathouwers went with the pace, always well-placed in fourth, before unleashing his finishing kick with just 100m to go.

Lathouwers came to international attention for the first time at the World Indoor Championships last winter. He failed to reach the final, but not before making his mark in the semis with a bold display of front-running before giving way to the eventual gold and silver medallists; Sudan's Abubaker Kaki Khamis and South Africa's Mbulaeni Mulaudzi. Nonetheless, he came away with a personal best of 1:48.27 and could look forward to his first full outdoor season in his new event.

Lathouwers was born in Capelle aan den Ijssel in 1983 and lives in Rotterdam where he is reported to make his living as a VIP driver and model. With two new sponsors and his new-found fame, he may find the day job redundant, but it is not difficult to see the tall (1.89m), rangy athlete modelling clothes.

At 400m he has been Dutch Indoor and Outdoor Champion and achieved fourth place in the European Cup group B in 2005. He has a best of 46.78 from 2003 but found it difficult to progress after a succession of injuries that constantly interrupted progress. In 2006, his life almost came to a tragic end when he got into difficulties while swimming in the sea.

In 2007 the decision was finally made to switch to 800m. "This was a big change in my career," says Lathouwers. So after four months training for the two laps he returned a time of 1:46.70 in South Africa in January and from then on there was only one event.

In February he became Dutch Champion at this new distance and he was on his way to Valencia for his international debut over two laps.

Lathouwers took to the 400m at the age of 17, but by then he was already a veteran since he had been an athlete from the age of six. Adept at many events he toyed with multi-events, but found that the 400m was his best discipline so finally settled for that until the switch last year.

Although it seems like the obvious decision now, Lathouwers had plenty of doubts about the new distance. Referring to two-lap runners as "aerobic donkeys", he saw the 800m as a marathon compared to what he had done before. But the departure of his coach Michael Khmel to Britain and the never-ending injuries finally persuaded him to give it a go.

With his rolling gait and imposing physique allied to an astute tactical head, Lathouwers seems destined to cause an enormous amount of trouble for far more experienced athletes on the international circuit. The next opportunity to view his talents should be tomorrow in Bislett (NOR) at the IAAF Golden League if negotiations go to plan.