Jakob is answering the one question people sill had about him: can he kick? His last two races, he's unleashed devastating kicks, absolutely destroying the very best in the world. And he's doing it while running 3:27. Make no mistake: the rest of the field were nowhere tonight, they couldn't do anything to him.
Right now, only illness, injury, or bad decisions (as in Eugene) can beat Jakob. Everyone else is running for silver and PBs.
No-one can have watched this race and still think he doesn't have a kick. But somehow there will be someone who pulls out that someone ran a faster last 10m at a race in early march.
Obviously he's the huge favorite for Budapest, but how much harder is it for him (even if only a little) when there are no pacers?
With pacers, I think he's automatic. Without?
If I could take the field and get 3-1 odds, I'd lay a few dollars on the field.
I guess nothing is automatic, but he is pretty close. How many days ago did he run a 7:54?? Yes, all of the conventional wisdom that Jakob can be kicked down if the race is not super fast, or if that he can't hold on if he has to push the pace all of the way, but I'm sorry, this is fallacious. He is MUCH stronger than the other guys, so yes, I do not put it past him to lead most of the way and still win AND there is actually little data to suggest that any of the current rivals this season (Tim, Nuguse, Katir) are any faster than Jakob over the last 150-200 off ANY pace. Jakob will need to decide how to run it, but he can win from the front, or sit and win. Honestly, he is going to be going full Kipyegon on these guys.
I am mostly impressed by nordås 3:29. By how many seconds did he improve?
Everybody ran wickedly well. Is it the shoes or something in the Norwegian Air? The bislett track is not known for modern supertimes like for example Monaco...
It was a fast race and most everyone committed to it. On Monaco, it might’ve been even faster.
Couple notes:
Nordas and Tim both ran under 40.8 the last 300. Tim ran a fair bit wide the last turn and early in the race. Both guys have potential improvements to make.
Kiprugut got to 1,000 in 2:19.0. Very good pacemaking but upgrading to Munguti and getting to to 1,100 in 2:32.3-5 might make all the difference in a maximal Jakob performance.
This was by far Mario’s best performance since Worlds and stamps him as a medal contender as you know his tactics are outstanding.
Any Nuguse doubters left? Bronze in a WC level race. Outfoxed Tim despite likely inferior fitness.
13.2 last 100 for Habz. Dubious he’ll be there in an honest World final, but that finish is dangerous a la Lewandowski.
Tough last 100 for Katir (14.1), is kinda indicative of what I think of him. Great runner but similar training, style etc to Jakob just not…as good.
Jakob is answering the one question people sill had about him: can he kick? His last two races, he's unleashed devastating kicks, absolutely destroying the very best in the world. And he's doing it while running 3:27. Make no mistake: the rest of the field were nowhere tonight, they couldn't do anything to him.
Right now, only illness, injury, or bad decisions (as in Eugene) can beat Jakob. Everyone else is running for silver and PBs.
I don’t really think this race was so much about the kick as his perfectly measured race and composed close. He ran so confidently and burned off everyone but Katir. This was much like Tim 2017-2019 (except even faster than the 3:28s from then!). 13.7 then 13.4. The pace was able to shake off the similar closer over the last 200 in Tim. Katir rigged up the last 100 as he can do, but there’re only few in the world with the ceiling to not do that in a 3:27 race. Tim might be on the way there and obviously Nuguse is pretty young in his career. As it stands, this race showed the skill set you saw from Tim in 2017-2019 taken to a new level as it easy to see him taking it to 3:27 low.
I expect some coping but that 1500 was far outdone by the 5000. #19 all time vs #6 and #7.
Not so long ago, a guy like Kiplagat could go 3:27 and you barely notice because Kiprop's around. Gotta admit the newer elites nickel and diming their way through 3:28 doesn't make 3:26 look close at all.
Katir didn't even PR but will still get more doper talk compared to Jakob.
Sure #19 all time, but 6th person under 328, with Kiprop being convicted of EPO use.
Jakob seemed delighted with the result. I thought it was an exciting race to watch.
Geez Yared gets in the right positions. Gives himself the best opportunity and gets rewarded. Top talent. Time for Ollie to drop those glasses. You can’t be 7th wearing them
Jakob is answering the one question people sill had about him: can he kick? His last two races, he's unleashed devastating kicks, absolutely destroying the very best in the world. And he's doing it while running 3:27. Make no mistake: the rest of the field were nowhere tonight, they couldn't do anything to him.
Right now, only illness, injury, or bad decisions (as in Eugene) can beat Jakob. Everyone else is running for silver and PBs.
I don’t really think this race was so much about the kick as his perfectly measured race and composed close. He ran so confidently and burned off everyone but Katir. This was much like Tim 2017-2019 (except even faster than the 3:28s from then!). 13.7 then 13.4. The pace was able to shake off the similar closer over the last 200 in Tim. Katir rigged up the last 100 as he can do, but there’re only few in the world with the ceiling to not do that in a 3:27 race. Tim might be on the way there and obviously Nuguse is pretty young in his career. As it stands, this race showed the skill set you saw from Tim in 2017-2019 taken to a new level as it easy to see him taking it to 3:27 low.
Nuguse is awesome and the best the US has to offer this cycle and he is a very strong candidate for 2nd all summer, but he is simply not going to be strong enough to challenge Jakob this year and honestly, he's not faster than Jakob either. Maybe by Paris this will change, but he is not a true threat unless something go very sideways for Jakob over the next couple of months. Sure any of the people you have mentioned have a puncher's chance of winning, but that is it.
Nuguse is awesome and the best the US has to offer this cycle and he is a very strong candidate for 2nd all summer, but he is simply not going to be strong enough to challenge Jakob this year and honestly, he's not faster than Jakob either. Maybe by Paris this will change, but he is not a true threat unless something go very sideways for Jakob over the next couple of months. Sure any of the people you have mentioned have a puncher's chance of winning, but that is it.
Yes, Nuguse is not much faster (in the sense we’re describing) as of now. I think he is marginally quicker in the 800, and in a dawdling race he can close marginally quicker. Talking a couple tenths at most. The hope for Nuguse is long term as he’s been training at this level for about 12 months now. Jakob has years of advantage on him. Nuguse clearly has a massive engine like Jakob, but to close the gap he needs more years of development. Tim I think is an interesting case. He needs to get off the line better like he used to, and what happened from 800-1200 (56.1, dropping from 3rd to 7th) was a complete mental lapse. I trust that he’ll correct it going forward.
Jacob has never been in his best shape so early in June. He has not changed his training regime so much. He said after the race that there is more in him, come July and August! To even think that this is his peak, is so far from the truth
