Ryan Hill Says He'd Be Happy With Top 5 at World Indoors

Why even have press conferences? No one cares.

I was going to say that he was being conservative and that he's probably focused on a medal, but then I saw the field. Top 5 would be an amazing performance, he's absolutely right. Which of these guys is beatable for him?

Kejelcha

Ndiku

Koech

Choge

Gebremeskel

Iguider (not running??)

Just mixing it up with that crew will confirm he's on a new level. A medal is a possibility, but I sure didn't risk my shot at $200,000 by picking him for one!

Solid dude. Doesn't waste any mental energy, hence he has it when it counts.

Others say, "I'm not racing for 2nd" and the #2 fastest guy in the world is competing for 5th?

Homework: watch what Abbey D. had to say prior to going against Defar in Boston!

LetsRun.com wrote:

On interesting tidbit at the press conference was USA champ Ryan Hill said he would be happy getting in the top 5. When he was up on stage he said, "I think top 5 is certainly possible and if I have a good day maybe get a medal. I feel pretty good just getting in the top 5"

Then we asked him in a smaller setting if he'd like to do better that top 5 and he said, "I just want to improve steadily. My best finish has been 7th so I just want to be 6th or better now, keep improving. So if you're going to be sixth you might as well be top 5."

Then he was asked would he be disappointed with 4th and he said, "If you look at how good the field is I think I would be happy with 4."

Video with Ryan here:

If all of the top guys show up in shape, 5th would not be a bad results. There are about a half dozen athletes who have smoked Hill in the past. I think he is in good enough shape to contend for a medal, but it won't be easy.

Kris Krinkle wrote:

Why even have press conferences? No one cares.

I almost didn't go. There were a bunch of British journalists which made it more interesting just to catch up and say hello to them.

wejo, why is Gelete Burka of ETH not in the race? Doesn't G. Dibaba have a wild card since she's the previous champ, which allows two more other runners from ETH to run? KEN has 3 runners on the men's side because Caleb Ndiku has the wild card. Why is it not the same for the women?

Also, why is that men's 3k has heats, but women's 3k only has finals (according to the schedule)?

Say wat? wrote:

Others say, "I'm not racing for 2nd" and the #2 fastest guy in the world is competing for 5th?

Exactly - a medal was what Rupp WANTED in 2014. He was IN CONTENTION at the bell & got 4th, went four it.

Now the BTC is lowering standards a week after having to pace they're guy in to the meet.

LOL

Seriously? That is the absolute lamest thing I have ever heard, who in their right mind is aiming for top 5 when they have the second fastest time in the world?? Wow, what a complete lack of passion.

I hope this guy gets 8th.

LetsRun.com wrote:

"I just want to improve steadily"

"If you look at how good the field is I think I would be happy with 4."

What's so difficult to understand about this? If we stop hyping every good performance as the next Mo, Bolt, Shorter, whoever, we may actually get a gold medalist one day.

You are missing a few logical links there, chief. Please explain how you jump from not hyping performances to getting a gold medalist. Is the secret to aim low and be surprised? Does hype slow a person down? Would comparing up-and-coming runners to a perennial loser be better? Your statement is, in fact, quite difficult to understand. Perhaps that's because it is total nonsense.

where's webb, cain, ... wrote:

LetsRun.com wrote:

"I just want to improve steadily"

"If you look at how good the field is I think I would be happy with 4."

What's so difficult to understand about this? If we stop hyping every good performance as the next Mo, Bolt, Shorter, whoever, we may actually get a gold medalist one day.

Its crazy that people are over analyzing this. He just wants to do his best. He can't control what the other runners do, he's just focusing on his own efforts and wants to see continuous improvement.

OMG Ry Guy wrote:

Seriously? That is the absolute lamest thing I have ever heard, who in their right mind is aiming for top 5 when they have the second fastest time in the world??

Someone who is realistic and sets attainable, incremental goals. You could learn a thing or two from Hill.

Letsrun says: " He shouldn’t beat Kejelcha, Ndiku or Gebremeskel..."

If I shouldn't get into my top 3 schools, wouldn't I be happy with my 4th choice?

Ryan "Thrill" Hill

the letter why wrote:

I was going to say that he was being conservative and that he's probably focused on a medal, but then I saw the field. Top 5 would be an amazing performance, he's absolutely right. Which of these guys is beatable for him?

Kejelcha

Ndiku

Koech

Choge

Gebremeskel

Iguider (not running??)

Just mixing it up with that crew will confirm he's on a new level. A medal is a possibility, but I sure didn't risk my shot at $200,000 by picking him for one!

Koech hasn't broken 7:42, I don't expect him to be a factor.

Our pre-race preview is up. Yuu have a point in the fact that there some total studs in the event but one of those 5 studly people is Hill.

"In our mind, Hill is one of five men that we think could possibly win the gold medal in the final on Sunday. And if that’s the case, your goal 100% has to be a medal at a minimum. If he’s not top 5, then he’s had a bad meet."

"(Hill) shouldn’t beat Kejelcha, Ndiku or Gebremeskel but he could."

Say wat? wrote:

Others say, "I'm not racing for 2nd" and the #2 fastest guy in the world is competing for 5th?

LRCCommenter wrote:

Exactly - a medal was what Rupp WANTED in 2014. He was IN CONTENTION at the bell & got 4th, went four it.

He should have gone two it, and got 2nd.