Centrowitz: Greatest American Middle Distance Championship Racer

Yeah, how can you argue after he gets 3rd-4th-2nd in 3 straight championships?

No doubt. Centro is the man. Easily the most consistent US distance guy active - that's why he gets so much love here on letsrun.

Yep, he and American Bernard Lagat only two runners to win two medals at 1500 in championship history!

it had to be said wrote:

Yeah, how can you argue after he gets 3rd-4th-2nd in 3 straight championships?

It needed to be said. The guy's a baller.

Nah, Jenny Simpson has him here. Sorry, but a gold and silver outweigh a bronze and a silver

but he's still among the top group

I agree, too. Although, if Jim Ryun had WCs, perhaps around his Olympic Silver would have been hanging some WC gold.

Now, with no major world champs next year, what does Centro do? ARs?

longerandlonger wrote:

Yep, he and American Bernard Lagat only two runners to win two medals at 1500 in championship history!

Steve Scott?

Old Ultra Guy wrote:

I agree, too. Although, if Jim Ryun had WCs, perhaps around his Olympic Silver would have been hanging some WC gold.

Now, with no major world champs next year, what does Centro do? ARs?

Alex.

Correction:

Centrowitz: Greatest American Mid/Distance Racer

What else counts besides championship racing? And there is nobody at the longer distances who can be supported as being at Centro's level.

Real News wrote:

longerandlonger wrote:

Yep, he and American Bernard Lagat only two runners to win two medals at 1500 in championship history!

Steve Scott?

Scott had a long and illustrious career, but he was no championship racer.

I had some serious doubts about Centrowitz...but he definitely shows up to these big championships.

Lagat by far!

Real News wrote:

longerandlonger wrote:

Yep, he and American Bernard Lagat only two runners to win two medals at 1500 in championship history!

Steve Scott?

Add Jim Spivey, 1987 Rome

World Championship 1500m Medals by Team USA

MEN

Medals (6)

GOLD: Bernard Lagat, 2007 Osaka

SILVER (2): Steve Scott, 1983 Helsinki, and Matthew Centrowitz, 2013 Moscow

BRONZE (3): Jim Spivey, 1987 Rome; Bernard Lagat, 2009 Berlin, and Matthew Centrowitz, 2011 Daegu

what a race wrote:

I had some serious doubts about Centrowitz...but he definitely shows up to these big championships.

Ice in his veins like champions possess.

areusure? wrote:

Lagat by far!

Lagat's one of the greats, no doubt. But I'm assuming the OP was referring to native born Americans.

If Centro is such a "master tactician" then how come he's never, ya know, actually WON an international race?

Marta L wrote:

If Centro is such a "master tactician" then how come he's never, ya know, actually WON an international race?

Keep studying English and work on critical thinking and deductive reasoning. One day it will become clear.

Seriously though, the fanboyism is getting absurd. Centro is massively overrated. He does the same sh1t every race - float around and kicks madly for 2nd-5th place. Never pushes the pace up front, never leads, never WINS.

Well, at some point talent becomes a factor. Centro has not shown that he has the physical tools necessary to run as fast as a guy like Kiprop, who has run 3:27. With that kind of speed, a guy like Kiprop doesn't even need to execute a tactically flawless race to win. He just needs to avoid a disaster and the gold is his.

Grabbing silver was indeed further evidence that Matthew Centrowitz is one of the most saavy championship racers in American history. Compare his championship track record to a guy like Alan Webb who has run 1:43/3:30/3:46. In 2007, Alan Webb went into the WCs ranked #1. Dude was on fire. He could have won gold. He SHOULD have at least won a medal. But instead, he did what Alan Webb always did. Buckled under the pressure. Matthew Centrowitz has ice in his veins and competes like he's supposed to be there.