Not sure I agree with this one. Obviously Joe’s had a strong professional career, but in ncaa cross country he redshirted his true freshman year, got 28th the next year, then 68th, then 8th, then finally second in his fifth year from the redshirt.
Plus in his second place finish he wasn’t kicking for the win with 100 to go, Kurgat had already separated from him and he didn’t push the pace throughout the race, he let Seufer do all the work, then just outkicked Mantz and Seufer for second.
Even recently Nico Young and Habtom Samuel’s runner up finishes were more impressive because they both helped push the pace and were competing for the win until late in the race.
Not sure I agree with this one. Obviously Joe’s had a strong professional career, but in ncaa cross country he redshirted his true freshman year, got 28th the next year, then 68th, then 8th, then finally second in his fifth year from the redshirt.
Plus in his second place finish he wasn’t kicking for the win with 100 to go, Kurgat had already separated from him and he didn’t push the pace throughout the race, he let Seufer do all the work, then just outkicked Mantz and Seufer for second.
Even recently Nico Young and Habtom Samuel’s runner up finishes were more impressive because they both helped push the pace and were competing for the win until late in the race.
Flawed comparison and shows your anti-Klecker stance. Why not critique Grant Fisher's record accordingly too for instance?
As for Nico, his best finish was not even close to a legitimate NCAA Nationals caliber race!
And Samuel doesn't qualify yet because his NCAA career isn't over and he could still win it. Nico technically isn't finished yet either but, again, COVID messes up that metric since he's already competed in four championships. ...and his trajectory is getting weaker, not stronger, unlike Klecker's trajectory who finished his NCAA XC career in 2nd.
Flawed comparison and shows your anti-Klecker stance. Why not critique Grant Fisher's record accordingly too for instance?
As for Nico, his best finish was not even close to a legitimate NCAA Nationals caliber race!
And Samuel doesn't qualify yet because his NCAA career isn't over and he could still win it. Nico technically isn't finished yet either but, again, COVID messes up that metric since he's already competed in four championships. ...and his trajectory is getting weaker, not stronger, unlike Klecker's trajectory who finished his NCAA XC career in 2nd.
I actually think he wouldn’t win. If Samuel came in as a 27:20 guy and couldn’t win then I’m not sure Bekele would be able to. In fact it’s possible he wouldn’t be in OSUs top 5 this year.
Greg Fredericks briefly had the US 10,000 record and made the 1980 Olympic team such as it was. Frank Shorter and Horace Ashenfelter did okay in the Olympics as did Jack Bacheler and Kenny Moore, though neither did nearly as well as Shorter and Ashenfelter. I don't know how far down in distance you want to go but you maybe could put Jim Ryun on the list. Rudy Chapa had a short post collegiate career but he was very good at Oregon. John Ngeno won the NCAA 10,000 in 1974 (I think it had changed from six miles that year.)
Allie Ostrander has gotta be up there for the womens side.
Dont remember why she missed 2016, maybe injury but she was 2nd, 4th, 6th the other 3 years.
Kelsey Chmiel 22, 9, 6, 3
With the arrival of Lemngole, Hilda Olemomoi--6th as a frosh, 4th this year--could join this list in a few years.
I don't think Mark Nenow was ever close to the podium at NCAA XC Nats, but he finished 17th in a field of 200+ at World XC 1981 a year after leaving UKY and broke Salazar's US 10k record in 1986.
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