Dumb comment. Myers and Ruthe aren’t European so they aren’t eligible to run at Euros!
For Myers, he had an opportunity last year to win Aussie Champs to take part in Paris and/or some big races afterwards (World Juniors etc.). He's completely turned the corner this year from a time standpoint, but it just shows how good Jakob's progression was that he didn't have an "off" year where his performances leveled off and 2018 was as good as it was. Laros has had more of an injury saga that's held him back, but he has run well in the global champs to his credit.
For Ruthe, he'll be a shoo-in to global teams if he runs fast, so it'd be great to see him first compete well at the junior global level and then try to make a dent time-wise and championship-wise. Jakob did that, and yes he had the bonus of a prestigious regional competition that Ruthe doesn't have.
You keep ignoring the fact that it's challenging for a 16 or a 17 year old kid to uproot himself to the other side of the world for 3 or 4 months or whatever. And it's not as if the competition in Australia is exactly weak.
You can’t compare an Olympic Trials to a Euro meet in a non global championship year when many athletes are messing around and not at their best. The competition was much tougher and the stakes much higher for Myers last year at the Aussie Olympic Trials than it was for Jakob at Euros in 2018.
Well to be fair Jakob won 2 golds and Myers finished 5th.
Wightman (3rd at Commonwealth Games), Amdouni and Lewandowski (World Indoor Silver) were in good shape and trying I'm sure.
"Much tougher" might be strong considering we're talking about Adam Spencer/Olli Hoare (who struggled a lot of the season), Stewy (big off year), and Jesse Hunt.
No need to talk down on our Aussie mates. Spencer was sharp from running NCAA indoors where he finished second. Hoare ran 3:31 last year. Hunt ran 3:33 last year. Stewy ran 13:05 one week after the Aussie Trials. That was tough competition and high stakes.
13:02.03 (He was 18 at the time, didn't run any 5000m races at 19. He also closed that race in 2:25.8 for the final 1000m, 1:23 for the last 600m, 53.6 for the final 400m, 25.6 for the final 200m. He had 12:55 in the tank that day.)
8:26.81 (16 at the time)
These guy might match Jakob in the 800m and mile, but the other distances are gonna be a tall order. I might have to eat my words, but 3:28.68 and 7:27.05 aren't a stroll in the park, no matter who you are.
Jakob reached the world championships at 16 (turning 17 that year). Laros did not do that in 2022, Myers did not do that in 2023.
Jakob also got TWO top 5 finishes (5th and 4th) in the world championships a couple of days after turning 19. I'm not sure if Laros, Myers and Ruthe have that range. Top 5 in one distance, sure, but two is pretty darn unique.
Jakob is also the first runner to win medals in both the 1500m and 5000m in the U20 world championships. Abdisa Fayisa is the second one (2024).
Also, 4 consecutive continental (European) championship golds in cross country. (Toying with Europe's best 19 year olds when he was 16)
Way too premature to suggest what Ruthe is or isn't capable of before he turns 20.
All of this is dork-level crystal ball gazing. Let the kid enjoy running and just see what happens over the next 12-18 months before making any grand statements.
13:02.03 (He was 18 at the time, didn't run any 5000m races at 19. He also closed that race in 2:25.8 for the final 1000m, 1:23 for the last 600m, 53.6 for the final 400m, 25.6 for the final 200m. He had 12:55 in the tank that day.)
8:26.81 (16 at the time)
These guy might match Jakob in the 800m and mile, but the other distances are gonna be a tall order. I might have to eat my words, but 3:28.68 and 7:27.05 aren't a stroll in the park, no matter who you are.
Jakob reached the world championships at 16 (turning 17 that year). Laros did not do that in 2022, Myers did not do that in 2023.
Jakob also got TWO top 5 finishes (5th and 4th) in the world championships a couple of days after turning 19. I'm not sure if Laros, Myers and Ruthe have that range. Top 5 in one distance, sure, but two is pretty darn unique.
Jakob is also the first runner to win medals in both the 1500m and 5000m in the U20 world championships. Abdisa Fayisa is the second one (2024).
Also, 4 consecutive continental (European) championship golds in cross country. (Toying with Europe's best 19 year olds when he was 16)
+1
Laros hasn´t matched Jakob´s teenage level apart from in the 800m which Jakob hasn´t run seriously since his early teens WHERE HE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY FASTER THAN LAROS:
Jakob: 1:52.60 at 14, 1:51.07 at 15 and 1:49.40 at 16.
Laros: 1:59.47 at 15, 1:52.16 at 16, 1:50.46 at 17 and 1:44.78 at 18.
In the 1500m and the 5000m Laros hasn´t matched any of Jakob´s annual PBs going back to the age of 15. Laros has less than 4 weeks to run faster than 3:28.68 in the 1500m and 13:02 in the 5000m.
In the 2000m Laros has on paper run faster than Jakob BUT Jakob first 2000m was run as a team race where the older brothers had prohibited Jakob to run away before the last lap (which he ran in low 54) so he could possibly have run at least 4:48 that day (in early 2020 season).
Laros PB in the 2000m is 4:49.68.
Finally : In the 3000m Jakob was much faster than Laros in his early teens. But after the age of 15 he didn´t run a fast (paced) race before shortly before turning 20 (Rome 2020; 7:27).
So Laros has a faster time at 17 but still hasn´t come close to Jakob 7:27 at 19. And time is running out.
-----------
Myers is a faster 1500m and 3000m runner than Laros having run faster than Jakob in the 1500m and in the 3000m at the age of 16.
Myers has 3.5 months to better Jakob´s low 3:30 at age 18 AND 15.5 months to better Jakob´s 3:38.68 and low 7:27 at age 19. I think he has a good chance to break all these times.
---------------
Ruthe seems to be even more promising than Myers was but it is a bit early to predict what he can do the next years.
Neither Myers or Ruthe (so far) seem to be able to match Jakob in the 5000m or longer distances, including XC.
seriously since his early teens where he was significantly faster than Laros:
Well I will point out super shoes. I also don't think they are generational talents. A generational talent is heads and shoulders above competitors. Jim Ryun as a teen is the best example of a generational talent. Jakob was probably generational if we draw the arbitrary line at the introduction of super shoes.
Jakob fanboys said supershoes weren’t the reason for the records he’s broken the last few years.
Im a Jakob fanboy myself. I know it takes super shoes to close the gap on the full throttle EPO guys in the 90s. I dont believe Jakob is clean but nothing they have now can surpass what El G and the rest were on.
Maybe, but the problem with times-obsessed LR is that times are becoming much less meaningful than previously. This leaves outdoor global titles as the only standard of greatness, and those only come around once in some years. Until a few years ago, outstanding times and WR's were a big deal. Now they are just news bites quickly forgotten. 'Tech' is so pervasive now I would not read anything into fancy times when OG/WC come around.
Well I will point out super shoes. I also don't think they are generational talents. A generational talent is heads and shoulders above competitors. Jim Ryun as a teen is the best example of a generational talent. Jakob was probably generational if we draw the arbitrary line at the introduction of super shoes.
jakob uses super shoes,and has done for quite some time.
So, are you making a predication? or just bashing Jakob? or both? I hope all three run as fast as they can, and if that equates to world records and global medals so be it. Right now, Jakob is arguably the best middle-distance runner in the world...PERIOD!
this comparison stuff with negativity is not the good way,
sure we like to look at the stats,
you're not going to out do Jacob with Euro wins at 17. or if you do, I wouldn't bother to compare. it's like i have 10 million dollars and you have 10 million dollars and a rolex.
i don't know what kind of mind disaster it would be, say personally, to set an age group WR and then stop progressing, and never make a global final.
or even quit early, and the what if's are there forever.
at the end of the day, the best thing you can do is become mentally strong under all circumstances, win or lose, gold or embarrassing loss.
being mentally strong for life is better than any amount of gold.
so young man, get that record, and after that nothing is guaranteed.
personally the sport got on my nerves from time to time, we all know about the challenges.
the ultimate gold medal is your mind, to withstand huge challenges with grace and intelligence, especially when it is in complete silence alone, no accolades, no fanfare, no pat on the back.
13:02.03 (He was 18 at the time, didn't run any 5000m races at 19. He also closed that race in 2:25.8 for the final 1000m, 1:23 for the last 600m, 53.6 for the final 400m, 25.6 for the final 200m. He had 12:55 in the tank that day.)
8:26.81 (16 at the time)
These guy might match Jakob in the 800m and mile, but the other distances are gonna be a tall order. I might have to eat my words, but 3:28.68 and 7:27.05 aren't a stroll in the park, no matter who you are.
Jakob reached the world championships at 16 (turning 17 that year). Laros did not do that in 2022, Myers did not do that in 2023.
Jakob also got TWO top 5 finishes (5th and 4th) in the world championships a couple of days after turning 19. I'm not sure if Laros, Myers and Ruthe have that range. Top 5 in one distance, sure, but two is pretty darn unique.
Jakob is also the first runner to win medals in both the 1500m and 5000m in the U20 world championships. Abdisa Fayisa is the second one (2024).
Also, 4 consecutive continental (European) championship golds in cross country. (Toying with Europe's best 19 year olds when he was 16)
+1
Laros hasn´t matched Jakob´s teenage level apart from in the 800m which Jakob hasn´t run seriously since his early teens WHERE HE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY FASTER THAN LAROS:
Jakob: 1:52.60 at 14, 1:51.07 at 15 and 1:49.40 at 16.
Laros: 1:59.47 at 15, 1:52.16 at 16, 1:50.46 at 17 and 1:44.78 at 18.
In the 1500m and the 5000m Laros hasn´t matched any of Jakob´s annual PBs going back to the age of 15. Laros has less than 4 weeks to run faster than 3:28.68 in the 1500m and 13:02 in the 5000m.
In the 2000m Laros has on paper run faster than Jakob BUT Jakob first 2000m was run as a team race where the older brothers had prohibited Jakob to run away before the last lap (which he ran in low 54) so he could possibly have run at least 4:48 that day (in early 2020 season).
Laros PB in the 2000m is 4:49.68.
Finally : In the 3000m Jakob was much faster than Laros in his early teens. But after the age of 15 he didn´t run a fast (paced) race before shortly before turning 20 (Rome 2020; 7:27).
So Laros has a faster time at 17 but still hasn´t come close to Jakob 7:27 at 19. And time is running out.
-----------
Myers is a faster 1500m and 3000m runner than Laros having run faster than Jakob in the 1500m and in the 3000m at the age of 16.
Myers has 3.5 months to better Jakob´s low 3:30 at age 18 AND 15.5 months to better Jakob´s 3:38.68 and low 7:27 at age 19. I think he has a good chance to break all these times.
---------------
Ruthe seems to be even more promising than Myers was but it is a bit early to predict what he can do the next years.
Neither Myers or Ruthe (so far) seem to be able to match Jakob in the 5000m or longer distances, including XC.
seriously since his early teens where he was significantly faster than Laros:
Good points.
Laros' 4:49.68 at 18 is insane. People say he was 2 years younger at that point than when Jakob did 4:50.01. Not entirely correct. Jakob did 4:50.01 at 19 years and 9 months, Laros did 4:49.68 at 18 years and 5 months, so less than a year and a half apart. Jakob also pulled the pack for a while in his race, while Laros drafted of the tail of Kipsang and McSweyn. Hanging on in a world record race will give you great PB-opportunities. Jakob also finished in 54.16 if I remember correctly, while Laros finished in 56.7 (I think those were the numbers). So Jakob definitely had more in the tank than 4:50.01 at age 19.
If we compare Laros to Jakob's 2020 season (5 years ago, and Laros i 5 years younger (4 years and 7 months to be precise)) Laros definitely mathces 1:46.44 (did that long time ago and by a good margin) and 4:50.01. As wells as Jakob's 13:28 in the 5k road (Laros did 13:26 last year). He hasn't matched 7:27.05 and 3:28.68 yet. He did 7:29.49 indoors recently, which I'd say is about as impressive. The 3:28.68 is gonna be hard, but not impossible. I don't see how he's gonna get it before he's 20th birthday (april 17th), but he might match it or get close to it during this season. Or he might not. I'm about 50/50 on the issue. I guess Monaco is his best chance. I'd love to see Laros do a 5000m soon. I'd also love to see Jakob do a 1000m this season. I'm guessing he's capable of 2:14-low or 2:13-high.
BTW does anyone know what Laros' final lap was in his 13:23.01 race (2023)? I've not been able to find any splits or videos of that race. When Jakob did 13.17.06 (2018) his final lap was 54.05.
Impossible to predict, but how do people think Laros and Myers will do in this year's WC? (I guess we more or less take for granted that they'll both be in the final in Tokyo in september) It's really hard to predict. I wouldn't be surprised if Laros improves upon his 6th place from Paris, and Kessler improves upon his 5th place from Paris.
Also, how do you think Ruthe will do in next year's World U20 championships? And will he compete in Beijing 2027 (maybe even reach the final)?
You keep ignoring the fact that it's challenging for a 16 or a 17 year old kid to uproot himself to the other side of the world for 3 or 4 months or whatever. And it's not as if the competition in Australia is exactly weak.
You’re just a little overly sensitive on this point. Jakob remarkably did NOT have growing pains/major injuries/welcome to the big league type moments at age 17-19. That’s remarkable and what separates him. Nearly every other prodigy outside of Jim Ryun has them:
-Alan Webb (college struggles)
-Hobbs Kessler (up and down in ‘22-23)
-Laros (improving but beset by injuries/illness since ‘21)
-Myers (up-and-down ‘24)
I’m not criticizing these guys but Jakobs biggest setback was just finishing 4th (slight underperformance) and 5th at Worlds just after turning 19? Basically performed great in every other race? Insane.