4 of the top 5 elite jerkers! And then Nader zooming bye! Doubt anyone had him picked for the win like Jimmy G
Looks like some splits got messed up but thankfully the last 300m still in tact. Looks like Wightman jerked just a little too hard too soon. Still amazing after the last three years he has had, and only outjerked by 0.02!
Nader - 12.62+13.04+12.28 = 37.94 (WOW!)
Wightman - 12.49+12.97+12.87 = 38.33 (12.49 on the backstretch - talk about some elite level jerking!)
I think the pressure got to Laros. He looked very nervous on the start line and did not seem comfortable leading as he was looking around quite a bit. Jake and Reynold had prime positions for most of that race so I thought it might come down to them.
I'll be honest I wasn't paying any attention to Nader during that, so I'll definitely have to rewatch it and see. Arguably biggest upset so far in a meet full of them, so hats off to him.
I call it: the finishing jerk. It is not a snappy gear shift, and not a drawn-out squeeze, but a "jerk" in the physics sense. The derivative of acceleration. An explosive, sustained surge from about 300m out that sits in the sweet spot between a gradual ramp-up and a final straight sprint.
I like your analysis of Wightman's finishing style, and it proved to be very prescient. But what you describe has no relation to the physics meaning of the word jerk (i.e., as you correctly note, the derivative of acceleration). Jerk *is* a snappy gear shift. It's how quickly you begin accelerating. After the initial moment of acceleration in any sustained kick, the jerk is essentially zero. For that matter, so is the acceleration, though there might be a few measureable spikes in acceleration over the last few hundred meters, likely superimposed on a slightly negative background.
With the 1500m final set for tomorrow at the Tokyo World Championships, most of the chatter has centered around Niels Laros and his devastating last 100m, or the reigning champ Josh Kerr and his now-signature “squeeze” from 600m-800m out. But after watching Jake Wightman glide through the semifinal, I think we’re overlooking a major contender, not just because of his past pedigree (hello, 2022 World Champ), but because I believe he’s going to deploy a tactic that hasn’t been properly appreciated in today’s middle-distance discourse.
I call it: the finishing jerk. It is not a snappy gear shift, and not a drawn-out squeeze, but a "jerk" in the physics sense. The derivative of acceleration. An explosive, sustained surge from about 300m out that sits in the sweet spot between a gradual ramp-up and a final straight sprint. Think of it as a slightly extended kick, powered by a rare blend of aerobic capacity, anaerobic reserve, and raw speed.
Jake fits this mold perfectly. He’s a true 800/1500 hybrid, and that’s crucial, because the jerk is often seen in athletes with a strong 800m background. It’s not just about speed over the last 100m; it’s about holding top-end gear over an unusually long stretch, especially that critical back straight. In his semi, Jake looked eerily similar to how he closed in 2022: controlled, powerful, and with plenty in reserve. After 2 years marred by injury, I think Jake is ready to prove his race in Eugene was no fluke.
Compare that to the favorites: Josh Kerr, who typically relies more on grinding the field down gradually (and also looked quite vulnerable in the semi, mind you), or Laros, who’s lethal in the final 100m but hasn’t yet been tested in a race where someone really jerks away from him before he can snap into that final gear (snap, of course, being the derivative of jerk, for my fellow physics nerds). I think this tactic is worthy of some serious consideration.
To put this in perspective, some other great “jerkers” in history include:
Hicham El Guerrouj, who, aside from his incredible time-trialing ability, was also known for his 300m drives that left even elite fields flat-footed.
Marco Arop, especially in the 800m, often wins by making that hard move on the backstretch and never looking back, and has also attempted the jerk this year in his GST 1500m races, but did not seem to have the fitness early in the year to show its true potential.
And even Jim Ryun, who once famously closed a 1500m with a 36-second final 300, a finishing strategy that predated the more modern “kick” or “squeeze” styles.
Now at the risk of sounding like a total jerk with this post, I will not deny that the finishing jerk is risky. If mistimed or misjudged, it can leave you totally exposed in the final 50m, especially if snappier runners like Laros or Reynold Cheruiyot prove that they can hang with a longer push. But if executed correctly, the jerk has the potential to neutralize both the gradual squeezers and the last-100m sprinters. It’s hard to cover, because it stretches the anaerobic system to its limit, and most runners simply can’t match it without redlining.
Jake Wightman is built for that exact kind of move. I believe tomorrow, we’ll see him make a decisive push down the back straight, stretch the field to its limit, and out-jerk everyone to his second global title.
This thread is almost perfect, but really Nader had the best jerk, look at him in the final 20 meters, it’s as if the wind pushed him really hard.
You called it mate! 38.2. Took the sting off of Laros' last 100 (who still ran sub-39, but couldn't go sub-13 for the last 100). Nader with a 37.94 last 300.
I call it: the finishing jerk. It is not a snappy gear shift, and not a drawn-out squeeze, but a "jerk" in the physics sense. The derivative of acceleration. An explosive, sustained surge from about 300m out that sits in the sweet spot between a gradual ramp-up and a final straight sprint.
I like your analysis of Wightman's finishing style, and it proved to be very prescient. But what you describe has no relation to the physics meaning of the word jerk (i.e., as you correctly note, the derivative of acceleration). Jerk *is* a snappy gear shift. It's how quickly you begin accelerating. After the initial moment of acceleration in any sustained kick, the jerk is essentially zero. For that matter, so is the acceleration, though there might be a few measureable spikes in acceleration over the last few hundred meters, likely superimposed on a slightly negative background.
Fair point, but bike I said, I reverse engineered the term a bit. And with snap being an even more drastic change in pace (derivative of jerk), I thought it made sense to play off that. And Wightman's change in pace down the back stretch was pretty pronounced as well.
in retrospect this was a pretty perfect post describing how things turned out with jake kicking early to neutralize laros' final sprint but perhaps a bit too early relative to nader which i dont think anyone predicted albeit the race was on the slower side
With the 1500m final set for tomorrow at the Tokyo World Championships, most of the chatter has centered around Niels Laros and his devastating last 100m, or the reigning champ Josh Kerr and his now-signature “squeeze” from 600m-800m out. But after watching Jake Wightman glide through the semifinal, I think we’re overlooking a major contender, not just because of his past pedigree (hello, 2022 World Champ), but because I believe he’s going to deploy a tactic that hasn’t been properly appreciated in today’s middle-distance discourse.
I call it: the finishing jerk. It is not a snappy gear shift, and not a drawn-out squeeze, but a "jerk" in the physics sense. The derivative of acceleration. An explosive, sustained surge from about 300m out that sits in the sweet spot between a gradual ramp-up and a final straight sprint. Think of it as a slightly extended kick, powered by a rare blend of aerobic capacity, anaerobic reserve, and raw speed.
Jake fits this mold perfectly. He’s a true 800/1500 hybrid, and that’s crucial, because the jerk is often seen in athletes with a strong 800m background. It’s not just about speed over the last 100m; it’s about holding top-end gear over an unusually long stretch, especially that critical back straight. In his semi, Jake looked eerily similar to how he closed in 2022: controlled, powerful, and with plenty in reserve. After 2 years marred by injury, I think Jake is ready to prove his race in Eugene was no fluke.
Compare that to the favorites: Josh Kerr, who typically relies more on grinding the field down gradually (and also looked quite vulnerable in the semi, mind you), or Laros, who’s lethal in the final 100m but hasn’t yet been tested in a race where someone really jerks away from him before he can snap into that final gear (snap, of course, being the derivative of jerk, for my fellow physics nerds). I think this tactic is worthy of some serious consideration.
To put this in perspective, some other great “jerkers” in history include:
Hicham El Guerrouj, who, aside from his incredible time-trialing ability, was also known for his 300m drives that left even elite fields flat-footed.
Marco Arop, especially in the 800m, often wins by making that hard move on the backstretch and never looking back, and has also attempted the jerk this year in his GST 1500m races, but did not seem to have the fitness early in the year to show its true potential.
And even Jim Ryun, who once famously closed a 1500m with a 36-second final 300, a finishing strategy that predated the more modern “kick” or “squeeze” styles.
Now at the risk of sounding like a total jerk with this post, I will not deny that the finishing jerk is risky. If mistimed or misjudged, it can leave you totally exposed in the final 50m, especially if snappier runners like Laros or Reynold Cheruiyot prove that they can hang with a longer push. But if executed correctly, the jerk has the potential to neutralize both the gradual squeezers and the last-100m sprinters. It’s hard to cover, because it stretches the anaerobic system to its limit, and most runners simply can’t match it without redlining.
Jake Wightman is built for that exact kind of move. I believe tomorrow, we’ll see him make a decisive push down the back straight, stretch the field to its limit, and out-jerk everyone to his second global title.
One of the best posts I have seen on Letsrun, this year or ever, and one of the only good 2025 WC 1500 predictions on the entire forum.
I have to say, I have been watching reruns of the finish of his semi final - and he looked ridiculously strong. Moreso than Kerr who was really straining. It surprised me.
I still think Laros will win but Wightman has definitely moved up in to medal contention. He always gets himself in to a good position, he has a strong last 200m due to his 800m speed and he’s coming nicely in to form.
I think the final will be very messy at the end..
great post. I think Wightman won his heat too. We should've paid more attention.
With the 1500m final set for tomorrow at the Tokyo World Championships, most of the chatter has centered around Niels Laros and his devastating last 100m, or the reigning champ Josh Kerr and his now-signature “squeeze” from 600m-800m out. But after watching Jake Wightman glide through the semifinal, I think we’re overlooking a major contender, not just because of his past pedigree (hello, 2022 World Champ), but because I believe he’s going to deploy a tactic that hasn’t been properly appreciated in today’s middle-distance discourse.
I call it: the finishing jerk. It is not a snappy gear shift, and not a drawn-out squeeze, but a "jerk" in the physics sense. The derivative of acceleration. An explosive, sustained surge from about 300m out that sits in the sweet spot between a gradual ramp-up and a final straight sprint. Think of it as a slightly extended kick, powered by a rare blend of aerobic capacity, anaerobic reserve, and raw speed.
Jake fits this mold perfectly. He’s a true 800/1500 hybrid, and that’s crucial, because the jerk is often seen in athletes with a strong 800m background. It’s not just about speed over the last 100m; it’s about holding top-end gear over an unusually long stretch, especially that critical back straight. In his semi, Jake looked eerily similar to how he closed in 2022: controlled, powerful, and with plenty in reserve. After 2 years marred by injury, I think Jake is ready to prove his race in Eugene was no fluke.
Compare that to the favorites: Josh Kerr, who typically relies more on grinding the field down gradually (and also looked quite vulnerable in the semi, mind you), or Laros, who’s lethal in the final 100m but hasn’t yet been tested in a race where someone really jerks away from him before he can snap into that final gear (snap, of course, being the derivative of jerk, for my fellow physics nerds). I think this tactic is worthy of some serious consideration.
To put this in perspective, some other great “jerkers” in history include:
Hicham El Guerrouj, who, aside from his incredible time-trialing ability, was also known for his 300m drives that left even elite fields flat-footed.
Marco Arop, especially in the 800m, often wins by making that hard move on the backstretch and never looking back, and has also attempted the jerk this year in his GST 1500m races, but did not seem to have the fitness early in the year to show its true potential.
And even Jim Ryun, who once famously closed a 1500m with a 36-second final 300, a finishing strategy that predated the more modern “kick” or “squeeze” styles.
Now at the risk of sounding like a total jerk with this post, I will not deny that the finishing jerk is risky. If mistimed or misjudged, it can leave you totally exposed in the final 50m, especially if snappier runners like Laros or Reynold Cheruiyot prove that they can hang with a longer push. But if executed correctly, the jerk has the potential to neutralize both the gradual squeezers and the last-100m sprinters. It’s hard to cover, because it stretches the anaerobic system to its limit, and most runners simply can’t match it without redlining.
Jake Wightman is built for that exact kind of move. I believe tomorrow, we’ll see him make a decisive push down the back straight, stretch the field to its limit, and out-jerk everyone to his second global title.
4 of the top 5 elite jerkers! And then Nader zooming bye! Doubt anyone had him picked for the win like Jimmy G
Looks like some splits got messed up but thankfully the last 300m still in tact. Looks like Wightman jerked just a little too hard too soon. Still amazing after the last three years he has had, and only outjerked by 0.02!
Nader - 12.62+13.04+12.28 = 37.94 (WOW!)
Wightman - 12.49+12.97+12.87 = 38.33 (12.49 on the backstretch - talk about some elite level jerking!)
Reynold - 12.82+12.92+12.69 = 38.43
Timmy - 12.86+13.09+12.96 = 38.91
Laros - 12.78+12.91+13.18 = 38.87
What a race!
37.9 for a 51.2 and 12.2 last... that's an unbelievable close in a 3:34 race. Wow is right !