Peak Centro ran a PB of 3:30.4, so reality disagrees.
Centro ran his best races relative to his competition at Championships routinely. So, putting a cap on him based on how he did in Monaco feels a bit shortsighted. That's not even accounting for the superspikes, which might aid a nice bit as far as recovering from rounds and energy return.
Peak Centro ran a PB of 3:30.4, so reality disagrees.
Centro ran his best races relative to his competition at Championships routinely. So, putting a cap on him based on how he did in Monaco feels a bit shortsighted. That's not even accounting for the superspikes, which might aid a nice bit as far as recovering from rounds and energy return.
That's exactly my point, he ran best in sit and kick/highly tactical races, not races like yesterday. If yesterday had been an ordinary "championship" style race, I would not have posed the question.
BUT it wasn't, and he did struggle (at least compared to peers) in faster, time-trial style races, which leads me to believe he would not have been top 5 yesterday.
That's exactly my point, he ran best in sit and kick/highly tactical races, not races like yesterday. If yesterday had been an ordinary "championship" style race, I would not have posed the question.
BUT it wasn't, and he did struggle (at least compared to peers) in faster, time-trial style races, which leads me to believe he would not have been top 5 yesterday.
Totally fair. It's a great hypothetical because Centro knew what he was going up against (3:35+ type races with major kicking) and prepared accordingly. Wightman tells us last year's fast final literally set the stage for this year as he readjusted his approach and made sure he had the necessary strength to medal in this era. You'd have to think that if prime Centro was from 2016-present (instead of 2011-2016), he'd similarly had put more work into his strength as opposed to his speed. After 2016, we heard Salazar and him were molding him to be able to run a 50-51 second last lap in a slow race because that is what would beat Kiprop, Souleiman or Makhloufi. I'm sure more of his energy would've been being able to hold it together at 56-second pace in the final and through faster rounds before, if he was at his peak in this era.
Was thinking about this right when it finished. I think this would of been a perfect race for him and very disappointed to not see the king in the race.
Centro is one of the greats. He ran 13:00 for a 5k and 1:44. He would have been top 5 at his peak. You don't win as many medals as him with out being good.
Centro is one of the greats. He ran 13:00 for a 5k and 1:44. He would have been top 5 at his peak. You don't win as many medals as him with out being good.
Yep. Also, he was in 3:28 shape at his peak if he had the new super shoes. They ARE worth 2 sec+. But this would’ve been a tough podium, even for him.
Peak Centro got dragged to 3:30 by Asbel “Tea Money” Kiprop in Monaco. Maybe he had a 3:29 in him but I think he was pretty well maxed-out.
He probably could have beat Kerr today.
Peak centro wasn't running in super shoes, so peak centro 3:30 is really worth something sub 3:30 today. Do I think he would have won, no, but lets not pretend a 3:30 before super shoes is the same as a 3:30 in super shoes. He was better than you are giving him credit for. That said I don't think he would have medalled in a race this fast. He was a better tactician in slower races (no global champ or high quality daimond league wins in a race faster than 3:35 I believe).
The aftermath of the rio 1500 was around 10% of this board complaining about the slow time and the other 90% freaking out about a US gold and one of the most masterful displays of championship racing they’d ever seen.
The “awful stench” is the retconned view built in the last few years by (1) people who just look at the 3:50 winning time without actually watching the race, and (2) the Shelby doping case, since she and Centro had dated prior to her getting busted.
Absoultely could not have been top 5 in that race. His LIFETIME pr would have put him in 5th (barely). I think at best he would have been 7th there, behind 6th place Cheruiyot, who ran 3:30.69, which is less than 0.3 slower than Centro's lifetime PR.
Yes, he was a master tactician. No, he was not a good "fast championship" racer even under any circumstances.
Kind of takes away from his legacy knowing he would never have been top 5 in a race like this, no?
Not at all. As soon as he crossed the finish line at Rio, he became an Olympic Gold Medal winner and nothing will ever change that.
im not seeing the new spikes doing anything for the high level pros. maybe they make lower runners with mechanical deficiencies a bit better, but the professional 1500 times haven't been anything special. and the 800 has been almost putrid for a couple years.
Disagree. You need to look at a slightly bigger picture. The times run by men and women in 3000, 5000, 10000 on track and in road races have definitely moved on considerably since 2018. Then look at the women in the 1500m. It is implausible that it wouldn't have an effect on men over 1500m. I would say that the advanced spikes have helped over 1500m by at least 1 sec. If you then consider the concerted efforts of Mondo to make each new track for a World or Olympic championships the fastest ever, we can probably add on another second.
Go back to tracks and spikes of 10 years ago and get rid of light pacing and I see Ingebrigtsen as a 3:29 athlete and the likes of Kipsang, Wightman, Kerr as 3:30/3:31 guys.
Look at the stats between pre and post 'super spikes'.
Lets take the number of performances a) below 3:31 and b) below 3:32. I have left out 2020 as there was a limited circuit and many athletes did not compete due to Covid pandemic.
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