That makes sense because when you have someone like Jakob ingebrigtsen born in September, just after track season when he runs those times he is 17 years old and 11 months sometimes. But Niels, who’s born in April I think, doesn’t get the chance to run those times when he’s 17 and 11 months because there are no track races in March. When you use the « age » system, it strongly favors those who are born just after track season and those who are born just before are at a disadvantage.
Then you could argue that with the international system, people who are born in December are also at a big disadvantage compared to people born in January, but no system is perfect and I don’t think any of them is dumb.
In this debate, Jakob vs Laros, I think it makes more sense using the international system because there are only 5 months between April and September vs 7 months between September and April.
That’s another debate but you could also argue that in the professional running world, more progress are made between September and April, especially during the winter, whereas April to September is mostly sharpening and finding the right races.
Jakob won a 1500m/5000m senior Euro double at age 17. This kid duplicated it -- except it was an under 18 Euro double. Not quite the same thing
I’m the biggest Jakob fan but that’s not a good comparison, when Jakob achieved this double, he was almost a year older than Niels, he was 17 and 11 months, let’s see what Niels can achieve in his first year as an u20.
Also, Jakob didn’t have to face Jakob. Niels has literally no chance to win in a potential euro field with several sub 3:30 or 3:30/31 runners (Wightman, Jakob, Katir, Romo, Kerr, Heyward…) whereas the best runner Jakob had to face in 2018 was his brother Filip, who was injured and couldn’t stay with the leaders. In 2018, 3:31.18 Jakob was ranked second in Europe behind his brother and he was almost a second quicker than the third ranked. Now you would only be ranked 7th/8th in Europe with 3:31.18.
European middle distance has gotten way better, and Jakob is so good that, as long as he is here, it will be almost impossible for another 17/18/19 years old to be a european champion over 1500m or 5k.
Then if I’m being honest I also don’t think Niels can run 3:31 next year because he just isn’t on Jakob’s level and he didn’t have the same training, but I’m still rooting for him, it’s always exciting to see some new talents.
Then if I’m being honest I also don’t think Niels can run 3:31 next year because he just isn’t on Jakob’s level and he didn’t have the same training, but I’m still rooting for him, it’s always exciting to see some new talents.
Put him in the field in Monaco next year, and he might run closer than you think.
What I really want to know is whats he training as hard as a 4 year old as Jakob was? Because that was the key to Ingebrigtsen's secret according to Jakob himself.
I feel like the article missed two key facts that provide quite a lot of context:
- Jakob ran 3:31 at 17 years and 10 months and Niels ran 3:39 at 17 years and 4 months.
- Jakob didn't run a 3000m race at the age of 17.
Yes, but Jakob ran his 3:31 at Monaco, and as somebody else pointed out, the fact that Neils is born later in the year means that he will always run his outdoor races 6 months younger than Jakob at the same age.
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