M 5000 @ USAs: Fisher, Young . . . and Wolfe?

Calling it a "goal" means he's training to peak for both of these events this season. Mindset can be what tips the scales at the highest levels of the sport. He has the confidence now of winning an Olympic 1500 in a very fast time. This race will likely be 13:00+ given the temperature, so it'll be harder for Graham to put 10 seconds on him by the end. Hocker is a world-renowned kicker. His performances this season suggest he's been training through everything, focused on this primary goal of qualifying in both events rather than trying to win DLs. These tradeoffs can also be what tips the scales.

Put all of those factors into the bucket, and I think he slightly edges out Graham for that 3rd spot. Nobody is calling it a "lock". It should be one of the better races as USAs this week for exactly that reason.

I honestly don’t think Hocker is a slam dunk for the 1500, and no way does he make it in the 5000.

Didnt Graham beat Nico their last race?

Drew Hunter? Really?

There is some awful takes in this thread.

It will be Fisher, Young and Blanks.

Smith might not let Nico run the 5000m again in order to keep us job at Nike in good standing

Well, I think for Cole there is one difference between this meet and the Olympic Trials: the number of rounds. The 1500 is a semi-final and a final, and the 5k is a straight final. In the trials, he had to run 3 rounds of the 1500 and 2 rounds of the 5k so it was his fifth race of the meet whereas here it will be his third. I think that makes a pretty big difference, and could be what gets him on the team.

The guy putting in the work and racing extremely well, has no input as to whether he runs the 5000m?

Cooper is so jelly

Hard to bet against Blanks, Nico, and Fisher. What kind of shape is Nur in? It is interesting that Teare and Wolfe won't have the 10k in their legs. Would love to see Rocky make it, but he leads to often, bright future ahead though. Hocker would be salivating at a tactical race

Smith is the Nike dictator now, and Nico is part of a Nike group but running for Adidas. Tell me, what do you think Nike will do when Nico takes a spot from a Nike athlete in the 10k? This situation is bound to cause some serious tension.

That’s not Nico’s problem. Rather than being a part of the group, he is the star, and he’ll get his way.

Also Cole wasn’t an Olympic gold medalist when he was competing last time. Now he is, knowing he has that ability will make a big difference.

He’s also PR’ed at the 5k, 3k (7:23!!), mile, and 800m this year. I mean he’s a 3:27 guy, I don’t think he should be underestimated here.

It's fun to pick hocker as a dark horse, but as bad as he looked last year in the final, and as far back as he finished at Stockholm, I just don't have much faith he can beat three guys who are 12:4x runners. And then other uber talents like Wolfe.

1. he chose to focus on the 10K last year, so it's not ridiculous to think he might make the same decision again.

2. the 10K is before the 5K at USAs. If he makes the 10K team, it is reasonable to ask whether he will still be motivated to run the 5K.

3. he might feel he has a better chance of winning at Worlds in a race that doesn't have Jakob in it.

You will likely be proven wrong. For one reason or another, at least one of those three probably won't make the 5000 team.

Correct take. Hocker hasn't looked great since that indoor 3000 many moons ago. He will be ready for the 1500 in Tokyo, but I don't see him making the 5000 team later this week.

I think it’s worth noting though that when Graham beat Nico in Paris, Nico was using a lot of energy trying to reattach himself to Kejelcha who was on WR pace, and Graham attached himself behind Nico. He ran a smarter race and obviously beat him on the day, but I don’t see a scenario like that repeating in a championship setting. If anyone takes it out and leads I see it being Graham because he doesn’t have the same kick Grant, Nico, or Parker have. When it came down to kicking at Grand Slam and Oslo, Nico was on a whole different level. I do think Graham gets the 3rd spot, though.

Nur: not in good enough shape this year to contend - hoping to see him bounce back in Europe next month and close his season on a high note.

Rocky: your love for Rocky better be long term . . . he's shut it down for the summer.

Hocker: a tactical race does not mean a slow race. See last year, when Grant & Abdi blew it open the last few laps for a 13:08 meet record while Cole was stuck in neutral back in 7th in 13:20.

What got this thread started was Rojo, JG & intern Tate picking Wolfe -- a recently injured collegian with 1500 & 5000 prs well short of most of his competition -- to beat fully healthy & fit professionals Graham, Cooper, Drew, Cole, and everyone else for 3rd. Even T&F News -- an oft-times pompous & overbearing publication -- appears to have applied the same reason to its form chart by picking Wolfe 10th.

This has just not been Parker's year, starting with the cuboid bone displacement last fall then another injury during the winter. However he runs on Sunday, I see him using that race as a springboard to some very good pr racing in August to wrap up his season.

So, wishing him the best -- just think, at this point, his fitness is a bit short of where it needs to be to be competitive for a podium spot come the final mile on Sunday.

Yes. You’re right. This isn’t 2024 Wolfe in the shape of his life or Graham Blanks coming back from injury.

Gotta go with a bold pick here. I’m rolling with Blanks. Guy is zeroed in for this race. Six weeks of altitude training. Totally healthy. PRs not far behind Nico or Grant and he even beat Nico this season. He wants to go out there and prove to everyone he is top dog. I’m betting on him in the 10k too. Doesn’t matter if he isn’t fresh for the 5. I think he matches Grant’s move from 1600 out and blows by with about 80 to go with Nico chasing but unable to pass Blanks.

I’ve seen it in Charlottesville.