Axel Vang Christensen Strikes Back - 14:06 5,000m & 9:06 steeple @15 years old

Poster that mentioned he looks like Rupp-form is spot on... going to have a great career ahead of him. Thanks for bringing awareness to those in the States!

zxczxcv wrote:

He has the 1500m record at 3:30.16 (I thought a Kenyan had gone sub 3:30 as a junior).

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Late Runner Phil wrote:

African runners are obviously not allowed in the official age-records, since their official birth date can't be confirmed. No one believes for example that Kipchoge is a 35-year old man, the Robertson's just recently confirmed again he is in his early 40's.

It also goes against Jakob - he got absolutely smoked in the world's XC U20 championship, you better hope most of the Africans (who also look older) weren't actually U20 but a lot older, or it looks even worse for Western distance running than it already does if he actually gets beat by a dozen African U20 runners at the same age where the only reason they are not in Olympics/world championship is that there are already 3 Ken/Eth/Uga runners on their team and they have no more slots available.

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The only African who has run a faster U20 1500m time is RONALD KWEMOI. Ronald is still running; participated in the 1500m final in Doha. Ronald has never been close to his U20 3:28 time again. Ronald´s age has been questioned and in my opinion for good reason.

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Jakob was not absolutely smoked in Worlds U20 championship in 2018.

Jakob took silver in the 1500m narrowly beaten by George Manangoi.

Jakob took bronze in the 5000m narrowly beaten by Edward Zakayo Pingua and Stanley Waithaka Mburu. SELEMON BAREGA CAME IN FOURTH!

Edward Z. Pingua became famous here on these pages when he produced a birth certificate stating that he was born in late 2001. There was just the problem that the birth certificate was issued shortly before the U18 WC in Nairobi some years ago where Edward took silver in the 3000m!

But that is really all for the future. Hope the kid stays injury free and gets a solid 5 years more training . If turns into a 12:50 guy or 13:45 guy doesn't really matter as long as he gets a chance to see how far his talent can take him

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I think it is VERY unlikely if Axel should peak with 13:45. He will probably surpass that time later this year or at latest next year provided he stays healthy.

See how fast Rupp, Nico Young and Jakob developed from Axel´s age!

Though I agree with your general point, are we sure that Ritz, who ran 12:56, was faster than 55? If he was, it wasn't by much! :-)

You’re actually a moron if you think this is remotely accurate.

Han Solo wrote:...

You’re actually a moron if you think this is remotely accurate.

You think so? Who are these people? If you can run 13:00, then you are assuredly a sub 4 miler, and therefore able to at least run 59.x for 4 laps. You saying they can't muster one lap less than 5 seconds faster?

Oh Please wrote:

Anyone know his birthdate? I see 2004 and no month. That means he will be 16 this year, and for all For reference, Lukas Verzbikas ran 14:18i at 16y 2mo.

LV was in the 7th grade at the time.

Oh Please wrote:

Han Solo wrote:...

You’re actually a moron if you think this is remotely accurate.

You think so? Who are these people? If you can run 13:00, then you are assuredly a sub 4 miler, and therefore able to at least run 59.x for 4 laps. You saying they can't muster one lap less than 5 seconds faster?

Woody Kincaid.

I was responding to the poster who was saying Ritz couldn’t run faster than 55 for 400 when he ran 12:56.

Yes, he has a mental coach, athletics coach, and physio therapist behind him. Nothing unusual for someone running 14:06 in the 5k.

Heck if you need all that BS to run 14.06 you d better hung up your shoes. In the 70s people ran mid 13 s while working in the factory and drinking like a fish. It s going out and train not all that yadda yadda .

Unless you are at the Boston marathon and get a 30 mph tailwind and the entire elite field runs prs by minutes.

Han Solo wrote:

macdaddy wrote:

Can you give me an example of a lucky/fluke 14:06 5k?

No such thing as a lucky good race. You can have an unlucky bad race, but a good race means you earned it.

I used to agree with the idea that their was no such thing as a lucky race but now, literally just now, the way you spelled it out made me realize how childish and selfish that is and how self absorbed a lot of runners must be to believe that luck doesn’t exist in running unless it is bad luck. I know for a fact some of my best races have been lucky ones.

not banned wrote:

Han Solo wrote:

No such thing as a lucky good race. You can have an unlucky bad race, but a good race means you earned it.

I used to agree with the idea that their was no such thing as a lucky race but now, literally just now, the way you spelled it out made me realize how childish and selfish that is and how self absorbed a lot of runners must be to believe that luck doesn’t exist in running unless it is bad luck. I know for a fact some of my best races have been lucky ones.

It's possible we're talking about two different things.

A 15 minute 5k guy who has been lazy in training for example isn't going to get lucky and suddenly have a breakthrough race and run 14:00. But he may have a bad day and run 16:00. But you can't fake fitness.

The Floyd wrote:

Though I agree with your general point, are we sure that Ritz, who ran 12:56, was faster than 55? If he was, it wasn't by much! :-)

Look at

for a couple week before the WC

3 x 600m, 400m, 300m, 200m with 300m recovery averaging 1:27, 57, 41, 26

Really think anyone who can do that workout can't break 55? I bet if you offered him 1 million dollars the week after that 5000m, he would have been down around 52s.

Seriously though I want to know why Bekele (or Gebs. Or heck even Bobby Kennedy) aerobic endurance was so pathetic compared to these guys who can't break 55 and yet are running sub 13:00 . Why wasn't he running an 11:40 given his 49s 400m (granted that might be a 49.5. So maybe we are talking more like an 11:50:))? And poor kennedy with his 53 PR couldn't come close to running a 12:30.

Han Solo wrote:

It's possible we're talking about two different things.

A 15 minute 5k guy who has been lazy in training for example isn't going to get lucky and suddenly have a breakthrough race and run 14:00. But he may have a bad day and run 16:00. But you can't fake fitness.

There are a lot of runners with and outlier races. Things just lined up for them that one race. Look at Galen Rupp with a 4:02 mile/8:03 3k/ 13:37 5000m. That 5000m is an outlier that is worth the same as a 3:58 mile or a 7:50 3000m. Things just lined up on that day. Obviously you need to be fit enough to run a time. But if you come to with in 99% of your fitness or 99.5% has a bit of a luck factor.

dudgeon wrote:

Oh Please wrote:

You think so? Who are these people? If you can run 13:00, then you are assuredly a sub 4 miler, and therefore able to at least run 59.x for 4 laps. You saying they can't muster one lap less than 5 seconds faster?

Woody Kincaid.

I would guess if you offered to make a 50k bet with Woody Kincaid that he can't break 55, he would jump on it:)

Why is nobody talking about his great race from last weekend? (I've at least found no post about it so far). Let me elaborate:

16 year old prodigy Axel Vang Christensen from Denmark ran a fantastic 3000m last Saturday: 7:59.30!

This time eclipsed the long-standing European age record in the 3000m (i), 8:04.6 by Hansjörg Kunze from 1976. This time also makes Christensen the 3rd fastest U18 runner of all time in the 3000m indoor. Only Yomif Kejelcha (7:42.05), and Aadam Ismaeel Khamis (7:50.10) have gone faster.

I'd like to add that Axel also ran a 14:06.55 5000m(i) on new years eve.

Last year he ran 8:15.87 in the 3000m, 14:06.51 in the 5000m, and a 9:07.99 3000 steeplechase.

In 2019 he ran a 30:50.02 10000m, 15:12 5k road race, and a 30:12 10k road race.

(Date of birth: July 30th, 2004)

I think we might have a champion and record-breaker in the making here. It's gonna be awesome to follow his progression.

Brilliant result.

It's been a long time since the danes produced a runner.. (Not counting Kipketer)

Wonder what kind of training he is on?

Some serious progress on a few swedes that looks to be copying Gjert as well..

Another young 17 years old talent from Denmark Joel Ibler Lileso ran 7:57 in the same race. Looks like Denmark will be dominating the European scene in few years.