Still better than Tokyo when only Hocker made the final. Fair point though, if Hocker is around 5th and Yared and Hobbs are further back then it won’t really be that much more impressive. But I think Hocker has a great shot at the bronze at least.
Everyone is focused on Jacob and Kerr but I think Hocker could squeeze in and surprise for second if the pace is slow. Yared has the potential as well, but he is going to have to want it and be more aggressive and position himself correctly.
I see the final playing out the same way with Jacob leading but he is going to have to dig in deep because Kerr can strike at any time.
There is a zero percent chance the race will be slow. JI will run the same race he did when he won in Tokyo. There is absolutely no reason for him to run slow when no human is capable of running faster than him right now. His 4th best EVER 3:26x 3 weeks ago shows that. He would be a fool to let this be anything slower than 3:28.
Can see a US sweep of the medals. Hocker, Kessler and Nuguse. They are clearly the best of the lot. Only two Brits in the final and neither are medal material. The Norway guys maybe a threat, but our guys are better - as they were literally jogging to qualify.
This is officially the new dumbest take ever on LR.
Still better than Tokyo when only Hocker made the final. Fair point though, if Hocker is around 5th and Yared and Hobbs are further back then it won’t really be that much more impressive. But I think Hocker has a great shot at the bronze at least.
Bronze? I think the American has a distinct chance to win if the race plays out to his strengths.
No chance. Hocker is 5 seconds off JIs best time. In what world would JI run this a slow race when he knows its impossible for the 3:30 guys to run with him if he throws down a 3:27.
There is a zero percent chance the race will be slow. JI will run the same race he did when he won in Tokyo. There is absolutely no reason for him to run slow when no human is capable of running faster than him right now. His 4th best EVER 3:26x 3 weeks ago shows that. He would be a fool to let this be anything slower than 3:28.
This. In fact, I see no reason for Jakob not to take the lead immediately and make it a time trial. Kerr still might beat him but no one else could.
If Jakob DOESN'T make it a time trial, he only increases the odds that Kerr beats him.
And if the pace is slow enough that Hocker is still right behind Jakob at the bell lap, Hocker might beat him, too.
Yes in the second race. In the first that is only sort of true and needs context. Hocker ran well, but JI and Kerr ran quite slow to their PRs. Hocker ran within 2 seconds of his PR but JI and Kerr were 5 to 6 seconds off. If JI makes the final a 3:27ish race, only Kerr has the speed to keep up. JI ran 3:26 3 weeks ago so he is sand bagging righ now.
Cannot see an Oly Final run in 3:27pt.
No rabbit. Winner probably more like 3:29.0 (which is plenty fast).
JI and Kerr both want to be legends so we might have a WR final and somebody might do some stupid rabbit stuff just to taste the lead for a lap. Either way this hyped up conversation is really fun and I'm glad following distance running feels cool right now.
This post was edited 2 minutes after it was posted.