What runner doesn't think he could have maintained focus and held someone off in a big race? It may be true, it may be false. It's not that interesting.
TBH all he is saying is gold and silver were out of reach, and he thought he had bronze locked up. He was being honest in saying he should have finished harder but he mentally didn’t because of where he was on the podium, and it ended up costing him a medal. He may have been a bit arrogant in implying that if he knew grant was closing that he was fast enough to hold him off.
Well then there's his mistake to begin with. It's an Olympic final - you don't take any spot/or place for granted. In the end I don't believe any of it - he was cooked and got beaten for bronze by the better guy on the day. This notion that "oh well you know I could have but I just made a mental error" is totally disparaging to GF. He was better than you physically and mentally on the day and got his due reward. Period.
100% agree.
Olympic final. Run your guts out across the line.
Don’t make excuses when your legs are cooked and you didn’t have it that day. Just say such with dignity and class and get back to work.
Could have… should have… 4 more years to think about it just like everyone else in the final - except for first place..
It’s on you Lobalu. Don’t disparage others, especially those that have beaten you before and when it mattered most - the Olympic Games.
Grant could have said “I should have gotten silver” in both the 5 and 10 - he didn’t. He could have said he should have gotten silver if he had known Aregawi was finishing strong - he didn’t. He was proud of his efforts, respectful of his competitors- in true Olympic spirit.
I’m glad Lobalu spoke his mind. American men need to be reading crap like that and realize the job is never finished. We are doing well currently through 5,000 and somewhat 10,000 (lack depth) on the track, but our top men are still barely ahead of the top global women in the marathon.
I’m glad Lobalu spoke his mind. American men need to be reading crap like that and realize the job is never finished. We are doing well currently through 5,000 and somewhat 10,000 (lack depth) on the track, but our top men are still barely ahead of the top global women in the marathon.
US men dominated T&F in Paris!
We're just not built for long distance by comparison to other events. Most American men are simply too big to compete with sub 125 pounders from Africa (and Japan). Size not only factors in carrying extra mass but more importantly the mechanism of keeping the body cool during long and high exertion bouts like fast marathons.
Kevin Kiptum was an extreme exception but most WR holders have been 115 to 125 pounds and short. Rupp and Young look like giants among little people. Ryan Hall got his 5'10" body down to 124 for his American record. Size is going to be Ingebrigtsen's limiting factor above 10k too.
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