Why is the sport press so easy on Cento?

Are you saying because the Russians weren't there that the field was weak?

If you are looking for someone for the press to be hard on (haha, hard on...):

Asbel Kiprop.

The press treats him the way it did Lochte prior to Rio; a lovable goof off. Centro has a Lochte-like future ahead of him. Both Centro and Lochte have fathers who were competitive in their sports, and mothers who coddled them way too much.

In 1976, there were two people recognized as the clear top two in the world in the 1500. One of them, Bayi, didn't (and couldn't) show up in Montreal. It's kind of a different situation than Rio in 2016 when Asbel Kiprop, the clear #1, and the defending Olympic champ, Makhloufi, were in fact there.

You're overstating the extent to which Walker was criticized. He wasn't widely criticized.

Centro won. He beat everyone. Doesn't matter what the time was. Why should the "sport press" be condemning him?

Why in the world should the winner be criticized and not the guys that lost? What were Walker and Centro supposed to do - run faster and lose the race so they could avoid criticism? Maybe Walker should have declined to compete because the Africans were not there.

The criticism of Centro is ridiculous and obviously perpetuated by people that don't like his coach or some other personal attributes. Centro has gotten as much criticism for winning as Kiprop did in losing.

mudguard wrote:

Why in the world should the winner be criticized and not the guys that lost?

Because when Centro loses their is always some bogus reason given by his fans. He never actually losses. He was tired from flying. The meet wasn't important. He still had a post race workout to do. Blah, blah, blah.

Because no one boycotted the Olympics that would have been in the final...... Because time means nothing in distance events at the Olympics...... Because Centro ran one of the most tactically perfect 1500M races in Olympic history....... Because Centro had a legitimate chance of winning gold going into the race.......

Centro's race was the highlight of this Olympics for me, The kid ran a tactically perfect 1500m, and won the whole thing.

I don't really care what the guy does the rest of his career, he is now one of the all-time greats. It's the Olympics, everyone was there...he beat them.

We get so caught up on time...just enjoy a great race.

Centro Losses wrote:

mudguard wrote:

Why in the world should the winner be criticized and not the guys that lost?

Because when Centro loses their is always some bogus reason given by his fans. He never actually losses. He was tired from flying. The meet wasn't important. He still had a post race workout to do. Blah, blah, blah.

So you think it would have been better if he had lost? What should he have done in the race to not receive criticism? Set a WR? But of course if he did it would be because of drugs.

Let's face it, he was going to get criticized regardless of how the race played out.

Sprinter by birth wrote:

When John Walker won 1500 metres Olympic gold, he suffered a lot of criticism after said race. Walker was accused of a hollow victory since Africans boycotted 1976 Olympic Games. Runners such as Filbert Bayi, Mike Boit and Wilson Waigma were not in Montreal, 1976. Walker also faced criticism for the slowest 1500 metres Olympic gold since 1956. To Walker's credit, he finished 1976 as the #1 ranked 1500 metres runner in the world. As of now, Centro, I believe is the #19 ranked 1500 metres runner in the world and his time last Saturday was the slowest since 1932. Walker raced roughly 7 seconds slower than WR and roughly 4 1/2 seconds slower the Olympic record, 1976.

Centrowitz ran a brilliant race! He controlled it and closed in 50.6! What else does any "racer" want?

Who cares what the press writes...do they know running and racing?

The guy defeated practically everyone who had a chance to win the title.... under pressure. No excuses for their others...I bet they're not making any.

Centro Losses wrote:

mudguard wrote:

Why in the world should the winner be criticized and not the guys that lost?

Because when Centro loses their is always some bogus reason given by his fans. He never actually losses. He was tired from flying. The meet wasn't important. He still had a post race workout to do. Blah, blah, blah.

He peaks for important races. He doesn't peaks for time trials at Stanford or some other empty venue. He identities a couple strategic objectives and treats the other races as glorified workouts to sharpen his racing instincts. And those instincts are pretty good

Sprinter by birth wrote:

When John Walker won 1500 metres Olympic gold, he suffered a lot of criticism after said race. Walker was accused of a hollow victory since Africans boycotted 1976 Olympic Games. Runners such as Filbert Bayi, Mike Boit and Wilson Waigma were not in Montreal, 1976. Walker also faced criticism for the slowest 1500 metres Olympic gold since 1956. To Walker's credit, he finished 1976 as the #1 ranked 1500 metres runner in the world. As of now, Centro, I believe is the #19 ranked 1500 metres runner in the world and his time last Saturday was the slowest since 1932. Walker raced roughly 7 seconds slower than WR and roughly 4 1/2 seconds slower the Olympic record, 1976.

Centro beat the two guys that were probably #1 and #2 (Kiprop and Makh) in the world going into the final. Iguider, Kwemoi, Willis, and Souleiman are all within the top 10 guys in the world right now as well. The most notable absences from the field were Kiplagat and Managoi, and I don't think they're any better than the other guys I named (maybe the 3:27 Kiplagat of a year or so ago was better than Iguider/Kwemoi/Willis/Souleiman, but he hasn't shown that kind of form in some time).

Centro's win wasn't a hollow victory at all--he ran a tactically brilliant race and beat the very best guys in the world.

I don't recall any criticism of Walker in '76. I know that people wondered how the race would have gone if Bayi had been there and a general belief that he'd have gone out hard and changed the race if he'd been. I recall comments from Walker later on that his legs had begun falling apart that year and he felt lucky to have gotten the race in before they were wrecked.

As it turned out Bayi wouldn't have been there even without the boycott and I don't think anyone thought Boit or Waigwa were real threats to win. And why would you expect the media or anyone (aside from the Letsrun posters who would criticize a cancer cure) to criticize Centrowitz? There were no significant absences from the race. He beat everyone who was considered a serious medal threat.

HRE wrote:

I don't recall any criticism of Walker in '76. I know that people wondered how the race would have gone if Bayi had been there and a general belief that he'd have gone out hard and changed the race if he'd been. I recall comments from Walker later on that his legs had begun falling apart that year and he felt lucky to have gotten the race in before they were wrecked.

As it turned out Bayi wouldn't have been there even without the boycott and I don't think anyone thought Boit or Waigwa were real threats to win. And why would you expect the media or anyone (aside from the Letsrun posters who would criticize a cancer cure) to criticize Centrowitz? There were no significant absences from the race. He beat everyone who was considered a serious medal threat.

I believe Walker was diagnosed with that "compartmental syndrome" whereby the capillaries/veins in his legs overexpanded with blood during extreme exertion, causing tremendous pressure on the sheath holding the muscle tissues together, primarily in his shins/calves. Excruciating pain - he could only run up to about 30 minutes before this kicked in. So he adjusted his training to more but shorter sessions per day (3-4) at higher speeds. Prior to this he was more a strength runner without a great kick (think Webb), but afterwards he lost a little of the strength but developed a better kick. Oddly enough, this may have actually helped him win Gold on the typically tactical Olympic finals. I also recall he was relieved he didn't have to face Bayi because he wasn't confident he would have had the strength to hang with a bold pace.

After the games, he had experimental surgery performed that cut slits in the sheath to relieve pressure. That worked well enough that later when Mary Decker was diagnosed with the same, she had the same surgery.

Well, at least that's the story as I remember it.

People should critizise Kiprop. That guy has to be mentally retarded. Worst tactician ever.