And if Hicham El Guerrouj was 25 years younger he could have given Hocker a run for his money.
You are right...well actually you're wrong. El g would've obliterated Hocker. I mean, he's the guy who beat Bekele twice (never lost to him), and denied the distance GOAT from his double golds in Athen.
Today El G would be caught loaded on all manner of drugs bought and paid for by the Moroccan government… unless officials decided to protect him for the (fake) good of the sport as they did for he and Bekele in their EPO Era reigns.
100% Jakob would have won, to see what he did last years indoor season he was ramping up to have a season for the ages in distance running. Not only would the 5k work record have gone he would have been a double winner in the 1500 and 5k. Nadar has never come close to beating him and if he was in world record shape for the 5k he would have made it look as easy as he did every other 5k except in 2019 when he was just 18 years old!
100% Jakob would have won, to see what he did last years indoor season he was ramping up to have a season for the ages in distance running. Not only would the 5k work record have gone he would have been a double winner in the 1500 and 5k. Nadar has never come close to beating him and if he was in world record shape for the 5k he would have made it look as easy as he did every other 5k except in 2019 when he was just 18 years old!
^ BS. Jakob's pathway to Tokyo was so much easier than Hocker's.
Jakob's spots on the Norway team were guaranteed. All he had to do was show up in Tokyo. Hocker had to go through a gauntlet at USA's just to qualify. Jakob only has himself to blame for not showing up to Tokyo healthy and in shape.
The problem with you Jakob fanboys and fangirls is current reality is too difficult for you to deal with, so you're relegated to What If land.
His positioning was abysmal, always out of place. For that reason, even Young, who is not close to Jakob's caliber, gave him a run for the money, never mind Jakob in a 5k. Yes, Hocker's kick is phenomenal, but that doesn't cancel out his bad tactics. Let's not forget Jakob only had to run 53 to secure the victory, which is well within his wheelhouse when he's healthy.
His positioning was abysmal, always out of place. For that reason, even Young, who is not close to Jakob's caliber, gave him a run for the money, never mind Jakob in a 5k. Yes, Hocker's kick is phenomenal, but that doesn't cancel out his bad tactics. Let's not forget Jakob only had to run 53 to secure the victory, which is well within his wheelhouse when he's healthy.
100% Jakob would have won, to see what he did last years indoor season he was ramping up to have a season for the ages in distance running. Not only would the 5k work record have gone he would have been a double winner in the 1500 and 5k. Nadar has never come close to beating him and if he was in world record shape for the 5k he would have made it look as easy as he did every other 5k except in 2019 when he was just 18 years old!
^ BS. Jakob's pathway to Tokyo was so much easier than Hocker's.
Jakob's spots on the Norway team were guaranteed. All he had to do was show up in Tokyo. Hocker had to go through a gauntlet at USA's just to qualify. Jakob only has himself to blame for not showing up to Tokyo healthy and in shape.
The problem with you Jakob fanboys and fangirls is current reality is too difficult for you to deal with, so you're relegated to What If land.
Jakob has pills. He was injured and undertrained due to the injury but showed up and competed.
His positioning was abysmal, always out of place. For that reason, even Young, who is not close to Jakob's caliber, gave him a run for the money, never mind Jakob in a 5k. Yes, Hocker's kick is phenomenal, but that doesn't cancel out his bad tactics. Let's not forget Jakob only had to run 53 to secure the victory, which is well within his wheelhouse when he's healthy.
I actually think it proves that anyone who was better than Hocker would've beat Hocker if they had been better than him when they ran the WCs 5000. For sure. He better be concerned about whoever might be better than him.
His positioning was abysmal, always out of place. For that reason, even Young, who is not close to Jakob's caliber, gave him a run for the money, never mind Jakob in a 5k. Yes, Hocker's kick is phenomenal, but that doesn't cancel out his bad tactics. Let's not forget Jakob only had to run 53 to secure the victory, which is well within his wheelhouse when he's healthy.
All it proves is that Hocker (and Yared) were tired. Kudos to them for attempting the double.
Major championship 5000m races aren't real 5000s. The "tactical" nonsense has nothing to do with who runs 5000m the fastest.
However, Cheptegei is light years ahead of Jakob both in the 5000 PR and championships department, with 10,000m thrown in for gravy. It's not even close.
Gebrhiwet has had a better 5000 career too, considering his clean WR and insane # of times under 12:50.
In any case, Jakob's a broke down horse now. Glue factory.
100% Jakob would have won, to see what he did last years indoor season he was ramping up to have a season for the ages in distance running. Not only would the 5k work record have gone he would have been a double winner in the 1500 and 5k. Nadar has never come close to beating him and if he was in world record shape for the 5k he would have made it look as easy as he did every other 5k except in 2019 when he was just 18 years old!
^ BS. Jakob's pathway to Tokyo was so much easier than Hocker's.
Jakob's spots on the Norway team were guaranteed. All he had to do was show up in Tokyo. Hocker had to go through a gauntlet at USA's just to qualify. Jakob only has himself to blame for not showing up to Tokyo healthy and in shape.
The problem with you Jakob fanboys and fangirls is current reality is too difficult for you to deal with, so you're relegated to What If land.
Sometimes, injuries just happen and no one is to blame. There’s a long list of athletes that missed, or ran poorly, in the WC or Olympics due to injuries.