rojo wrote:
I'm surprised GHB is only doing one event. She must deep down love the 800.
In the 1500, are we sure Welteji is healthy? She hasn't raced since Pre.
It really opens up the medals for Hiltz. If you lined all of the best female 1500 runners on planet earth and had them race at peak fitness, I think Nikki might not even be in the top 8 but I think Hiltz has a great chance of medalling
She's the 7th fastest woman of 2025 but 3 of the women faster than her - maybe 4 if Welteji is out - won't be racing.
1 3:48.68 WR Faith Kipyegon KEN
2 3:50.62 Gudaf Tsegay ETH 23
3 3:51.44 Diribe Welteji ETH 13
4 3:52.67 Jessica Hull AUS 22
5 3:54.73 Beatrice Chebet KEN
6 3:54.76 Georgia Hunter Bell
7 3:55.94 Nikki Hiltz USA
Hmm, it's possible but I agree it would surely need Welteji's absence, as Pre proved that Kipyegon, Welteji and Hull are in a totally different league (3:48, 3:51, 3:52, to Hiltz' 5th in a shade under 3:56). Hiltz's win the other day was in an already weak field and helped along by both a fall which DNF'd the only other contender and a suicidal pacing strategy by Hall which gave Hiltz a slowing target to aim for. Given that there is no chance they'll let the final go slow, it would require an absence of one of those big three or some sort of fall to change the podium I would think.
Having said that, looking at the recent Silesia results and seeing that Hiltz was only 4th but that all three of the runners ahead of her aren't racing the 1500m in Tokyo, she must be thinking all of her christmases have come at once!