There was a moment in the 800 when he could have taken the train, keeping connected to the lead pack, but it seemed he just couldn't - I think he's tired and rightly so. What experience he gained, though! Massive week for him running at max.
This is the Olympics. It’s not about gaining experience or having fun. It’s about competition. He ran great in the 1500 and I give him credit for that. But he treated the 800 as an afterthought. That’s what I don’t like. The 800 should be taken seriously not treated as an afterthought.
Don't think it's safe to say he treated 800 as an afterthought, after a PB and 5th in fastest-ever 1500 Olympic final.
Excellent analysis. That’s another reason we should have had an 800 specialist in that spot. Someone who knows what they’re doing and who prioritizes that event.
I mean do I think Josh Hoey could've fared better? There's a large range of outcomes with Hoey. He's definitely a pretty savvy racer, and he is capable of both going out fast (and holding it) as well as rallying from behind. That being said he maxes out at 1:43-high (which is great!), which means making the finals is certainly no slam dunk for him. I would've liked his chances to make the semis like Hobbs did. I'm not sure what Miller was doing, but I think Mackey is going to have to look at getting his 800m runners a race between Trials and the Games. Both Miller and Akins looked a little flat out there as far as racing.
There was a moment in the 800 when he could have taken the train, keeping connected to the lead pack, but it seemed he just couldn't - I think he's tired and rightly so. What experience he gained, though! Massive week for him running at max.
This is the Olympics. It’s not about gaining experience or having fun. It’s about competition. He ran great in the 1500 and I give him credit for that. But he treated the 800 as an afterthought. That’s what I don’t like. The 800 should be taken seriously not treated as an afterthought.
He earned his spot on the 800m team, he took it seriously and he did his best.
This is the Olympics. It’s not about gaining experience or having fun. It’s about competition. He ran great in the 1500 and I give him credit for that. But he treated the 800 as an afterthought. That’s what I don’t like. The 800 should be taken seriously not treated as an afterthought.
Don't think it's safe to say he treated 800 as an afterthought, after a PB and 5th in fastest-ever 1500 Olympic final.
What? That doesn’t refute my point. He prioritized the 1500 and treated the 800 as an afterthought. He disrespected the 800.
It was a tactical prelim. He was not seeded to make the final, not even particularly favored to make it to the semis.
It reaffirmed my concern with him in the 800m tactically. Since it was slow, this was more of a cagey affair where his usual tactic of going out slow through 150 and moving up in the field deliberately through 600, then kicking was hard to execute. He had to do some work to get into a decent spot by 500, but then everyone turned it on and he was boxed and didn't have an extra gear. No doubt without the 1500m in the legs maybe he could overcome that somewhat, but this was a semi that was tricky to navigate even for the experienced guys. Top 2+2 is a brutal system as is, and you either have to be a class above, luck into a heat with a frontrunner like Wanyonyi or run a great tactical race.
At his level, there are very few chances to run a high quality prelim - pretty much only the games and worlds and maybe US champs semi . Glad he got the experience, it can only help later. The only way to learn is to do it.
It reaffirmed my concern with him in the 800m tactically. Since it was slow, this was more of a cagey affair where his usual tactic of going out slow through 150 and moving up in the field deliberately through 600, then kicking was hard to execute. He had to do some work to get into a decent spot by 500, but then everyone turned it on and he was boxed and didn't have an extra gear. No doubt without the 1500m in the legs maybe he could overcome that somewhat, but this was a semi that was tricky to navigate even for the experienced guys. Top 2+2 is a brutal system as is, and you either have to be a class above, luck into a heat with a frontrunner like Wanyonyi or run a great tactical race.
Excellent analysis. That’s another reason we should have had an 800 specialist in that spot. Someone who knows what they’re doing and who prioritizes that event.
The other 800 specialists should have been good enough to beat Kessler at the Trials then. Why send somebody who isn’t even good enough to beat someone who runs the 800 just for fun?
Then give the spot to someone who would have prioritized the 800 and done better.
can you name the 4th place finisher at the US Olympic Trials who would have taken the spot if Hobbs hadn't?
...
it was Josh Hoey. he had to run a 1:44.12 PB to finish 4th in that race. do you believe that he had a better chance of making the Olympic final than Hobbs did, even when Hobbs is on his fifth race?
nothing against Josh, but Hobbs earned his 800m Olympic spot and represented the US well across two events.
can you name the 4th place finisher at the US Olympic Trials who would have taken the spot if Hobbs hadn't?
...
it was Josh Hoey. he had to run a 1:44.12 PB to finish 4th in that race. do you believe that he had a better chance of making the Olympic final than Hobbs did, even when Hobbs is on his fifth race?
nothing against Josh, but Hobbs earned his 800m Olympic spot and represented the US well across two events.
In the defense of that poster, Hoey is clearly on the upswing and has wins and PBs since Trials. Dude is fit, and would've had a fighter's chance. Clearly at Trials, it was a good performance but he is leveling up since then.
A 21-year-old finishes 5th in the Olympics and improves his PB to 3:29, then makes it to the semis in the 800? I’m supposed to be upset with that? Get a grip. I’m thrilled with these marks.
It was a tactical prelim. He was not seeded to make the final, not even particularly favored to make it to the semis.
It reaffirmed my concern with him in the 800m tactically. Since it was slow, this was more of a cagey affair where his usual tactic of going out slow through 150 and moving up in the field deliberately through 600, then kicking was hard to execute. He had to do some work to get into a decent spot by 500, but then everyone turned it on and he was boxed and didn't have an extra gear. No doubt without the 1500m in the legs maybe he could overcome that somewhat, but this was a semi that was tricky to navigate even for the experienced guys. Top 2+2 is a brutal system as is, and you either have to be a class above, luck into a heat with a frontrunner like Wanyonyi or run a great tactical race.
I think the one a-hole on here is way off, and I think Thoughsleader is on this one as well. Tactics certainly are not the issue at all.The way he runs the 800 is the way he runs it.Even and closing.I think in this case it was the 5 races in 8 days and a PR by over 2 secs in brutal 1500 and then a race the next day around noon, just emptied the tank. To Hobbsy Jogger..oh give the spot to whom.someone like a.Brandon Miller..oh yeah, he ran real well. Please do not be ridiculous.There was no way he should have been a favorite to make a final here, and if he couldn't, certainly the other not very good U.S. 800M runners would not have either, and this is not some wild indictment, the rest are just not that good.3:31.x in 15 semis, 2 sec Pr in finals, getting out of prelims pretty solidly..that's all there was in this go around. I think a day before the 800 pre lims would have helped a little.