NBC Olympics is asking if she'll try the 5k/10k/ marathon.
On this week's pod most of said she is the GOAT. I'd like to see her get another Olympics under her belt as her reign at the top is only 4 years.
And we said Faith Kipyegon lost to her at 2019 worlds coming back from a baby but a viewer noted that Kipyegon PRd in that race (3:54) and got smoked by Hassan. Only since then has Kipyegon gotten down to 3:50.
NBC Is only asking because I asked the question 1st, with more components.
I think the absurdity of Hassan's London win has warped our brains a little bit because it felt impossible, so now the impossible feels possible. London was insane. Instant classic and one of the best races of all time. But that's not the same as being one of the best runs of all time.
Hassan is the GOAT, and her insane ability allowed her to win a race she really shouldn't have won. But let's be clear-eyed for a moment. 2:18 is not that fast these days and the second half was really pedestrian, despite conditions that were good enough for Kiptum to tear things up on the men's side. I tend to assume that when the top runners run relatively slowly that it's due to conditions/tactics/etc. rather than just everyone suddenly running poorly. But I think it's safe to say that in a performance sense alone, the race that Hassan ran to win doesn't stand out as being particularly strong (considering the rarified air of the major marathons). Could she win the Olympic marathon? Absolutely. But she's not some heavy favorite who can run races all week and still be expected to win.
Also, stopping and stretching multiple times and still coming back to win is unbelievable. I'm not sure anyone else in the world could have done it. But there's a worrying side to it, no? What if next time, the tightness is little bit worse and she has to drop out? Some runners have problems during a marathon more frequently than others, and the fact that Hassan came back to win doesn't mean it's not a potential issue for her.
So all that said, of course she can't win (or place highly in) FOUR different events in Paris. I think that's kind of obvious. It would be a legitimately tiring week for even a top MALE runner to do that (in the women's races). I think we underestimate her 2019 performance, which is totally unparalleled in the history of the sport, and may be the greatest single-meet performance in history, at least on the women's side. To expect Hassan to replicate that is insane (although I'm excited to dream about it!). To expect any sort of improvement is nigh on impossible.
Just Another Hobby Jogger wrote:
5000/marathon or 10000/marathon is even more realistic, and it has never been done by a woman.
Actually, no woman has ever won medals in track and marathon, even in separate Olympics, although it has been done by seven men.
Hannes Kolehmainen, Albin Stenroos, Emile Zátopek, Mamos Wolde, Carlos Lopes, Gaelen Rupp and Eliud Kipchoge?
The women’s 10000 metres is only run since Seoul 1988:
Reigning World, European Champion and World Record Holder, Ingrid Kristiansen is forced to pull out of the race with 18 laps to go leaving the battle for the medals between Olga Bonderenko, Liz McColgan and Yelena Zhupiyova.
Commentators - David Coleman, Ron Pickering and Brendan Foster.
BBC Coverage.
The 5000 metres since Atlanta 1996.
