Yeah, the reality is that for the gold Goose doesn't have the closing speed and Cole doesn't have the endurance. Both are definite medal contenders but I can't see them beating all of Jakob, Josh and Jake.
3:30.59 is outstanding but the Oly final will likely be at least 1.5 seconds faster.
I like them both over Wightman this year.
While I wouldn't sleep on him for his 1:44 SB, I would like Nuguse's chance better. It's crazy he front-ran a 3:30 with a 53 last lap. I think it's as impressive as his 3:43 mile
I may be too optimistic but I think gold isn't outside the realm of possibility under the right race.
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1. Kerr 2. Jakob 3. Hocker 4. Nuguse 5. Gourley 6. Tim Cheruiyot 7. R. Cheruiyot 8. Wightman 9. Kessler 10. Habz 11. Miller 12. Munguti
Gourley at 5 is silly. He should be 9. He just got exposed at Europeans which only had 2 rounds. I think there’s real doubt he makes that British team.
1. Kerr 2. Jakob 3. Hocker 4. Nuguse 5. Gourley 6. Tim Cheruiyot 7. R. Cheruiyot 8. Wightman 9. Kessler 10. Habz 11. Miller 12. Munguti
I think you're underrating the Kenyans here and overrating Gourley. Assuming Jakob takes it out hard somewhere from 400m-800m Nuguse is better off than Hocker IMO.
If Nuguse ran the same time (3:30.86) but Cole didn’t go by him, consensus would be that a medal would be Nuguse’s to lose, given how crazy it is to front run a 3:30 at the trials. Cole is insanely fit but in the high 3:20s race that will be the Olympics, Nuguse is just as well positioned to medal.
Hocker had the advantage of Nuguse taking the pace out hard for everyone. Nuguse will be in a better position when he can key off of Kerr and Jakob instead of worrying about leading from the front to insure an Olympic spot. I'm not saying Cole didn't race great. He did. Still, he and Yared are basically even at this point with Josh and Jakob in the race.
1. Kerr 2. Jakob 3. Hocker 4. Nuguse 5. Gourley 6. Tim Cheruiyot 7. R. Cheruiyot 8. Wightman 9. Kessler 10. Habz 11. Miller 12. Munguti
I am still worried Hobbs doesn’t have the tactical acumen to make the world final yet.
I think Nuguse still has a better medal shot than Hocker. Nuguse ran the smartest way he could to make the team today, but not the smartest way he could to win. If he doesn’t lead the first 3 laps, the last 300 is a lot closer with Hocker, or perhaps he kicks for the win like when he swooped Kerr just after WCs last year
Fair, like I said it was rough. Shoulda probably thrown in Beamish and the Aussies as well, and Arrese + Nader though they had differing performances at Euros
That should just make us appreciate the greatness of Jakob. Nuguse beat hocker by nearly 3 seconds at Pre and got beaten handily by him.
Does anyone who speaks Rojo understand WTF he's trying to say here?
He is oddly obsessed with time gaps and conversions across races. I think, unbelievably, he's implying that having to lead the race cost Nuguse 3+ seconds. Obviously there are other explanations (e.g. Hocker is way f***ing fitter than he was at Pre), but Rojo is kind of an idiot, so he's not considering those.
Fair, like I said it was rough. Shoulda probably thrown in Beamish and the Aussies as well, and Arrese + Nader though they had differing performances at Euros
The two Belgians Vermuelen and Verheyden have a decent shot at the final too after a strong outing in Rome
All props to the gooose for taking it out hard. Balls! 🍒
The slow second lap was interesting! I know some think this is the move to wind it up from 700 or 800 out, but I almost think a slow 3rd lap is better. Then you can make that last lap pass extremely hard.
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1. Kerr 2. Jakob 3. Hocker 4. Nuguse 5. Gourley 6. Tim Cheruiyot 7. R. Cheruiyot 8. Wightman 9. Kessler 10. Habz 11. Miller 12. Munguti
I am still worried Hobbs doesn’t have the tactical acumen to make the world final yet.
I think Nuguse still has a better medal shot than Hocker. Nuguse ran the smartest way he could to make the team today, but not the smartest way he could to win. If he doesn’t lead the first 3 laps, the last 300 is a lot closer with Hocker, or perhaps he kicks for the win like when he swooped Kerr just after WCs last year
maybe he outkicks hocker if cole leads a meaningful amount of the race, but if they are both sitting and kicking, cole is winning either way. my guess, if it wasn't nuguse, it was kessler or ciaetti pacing a 3 or 4 second slower race. and hocker wins with a 50.x if he has to.