Right now, Jakob's 7:17 is the only thing we'll still be talking about in 20 years. That should make it obvious that that is the performance of 2024. That was the MVP run this year.
I mean, I’d bet money that Hocker winning Olympic Gold will still be discussed in 20 years.
Fair enough, but mostly because it was amazing to see him steal it from the two guys we all thought would win. Cole's race was great and if he keeps on winning, then yes, it will be seen as the start of the Hocker Era. I am a huge fan of his and I don't want to you to think I am throwing shade on him. He is amazing!
But if this was Cole's one and only Gold, then it might just be seen as an interesting high point in his career, like when Noah Ngeny won Olympic gold in 2000. Good for him, but not really "an era defining event."
There are lots of gold medals out there, but there is only one 7:17 in the history of the world.
Let's be fair. Do you remember when Norway won Olympic gold in the 800m? Just a few years ago --- Vebjørn Rodal in 1992. Are we still talking about that? What bout Nils Schumann's Olympic gold for Germany? That was in 1996? Nobody cares about that because they never did anything else before or after... What about Fermin Cacho? He won the 1500 OG and nobody really thinks about the "Cacho" years.
But Komen, we talked about Komen's 7:20 for almost 30 years.
Hocker won in an Olympic record. That makes it a memorable performance even if he never runs again. Jakob’s 7:17 is also memorable. But this thread isn’t about who had the most memorable PERFORMANCE. It’s about who had the best YEAR.
Good point. Looking at the whole year is more fun but also trickier, because there was no one single guy who took all the top honors in the 800m and 1500m (3000m, 2M, and 5000m are not middle distance events)...
Maybe if we made a chart for the middle distances and just looked at the universally accepted benchmarks for success:
Most Racing: Jakob
Most Wins: Jakob
Best head-to-head against his rivals: Jakob
World Records: none (yet)
Closest to the world record: Jakob (followed by Wanyonyi)
Olympic Gold: Hocker and Wanyonyi
Diamond League Champion: TBD
Highest point total from the IAAF/WA Tables: Wanyonyi's 1:41.11 is worth 1295; Jakob's 3:26.73 is almost as good at 1292
Most Consistent: Wanyonyi
Here is the official World Rankings, where a computer does the real math so you don't have to trust a guy like me (or any other random poster) who is just thinking out loud:
I think Kerr is a better runner, meaning in a 1500m/mile race, Kerr would beat Hocker 6-7 out of 10 times, and he would steamroll Hocker in anything longer than a mile, BUT an Olympic gold still trumps everything Kerr has done so far in his entire career. So there's no way he's the middle distance runner of the year. You can argue Wanyonyi is a more worthy recipient, but not Kerr, sorry.
You could argue Hocker had the single best PERFORMANCE of 2024 but no way did he have the best YEAR. Hocker only finished 7th at Pre, lost to Kerr by 3 seconds at Pre, lost to Kerr by 5 seconds at Millrose, and got beat by Geordie Beamish of all people at the world indoor championships. Sorry, he is not worthy of the middle distance runner of the YEAR award.
Good point. Looking at the whole year is more fun but also trickier, because there was no one single guy who took all the top honors in the 800m and 1500m (3000m, 2M, and 5000m are not middle distance events)...
Maybe if we made a chart for the middle distances and just looked at the universally accepted benchmarks for success:
Most Racing: Jakob
Most Wins: Jakob
Best head-to-head against his rivals: Jakob
World Records: none (yet)
Closest to the world record: Jakob (followed by Wanyonyi)
Olympic Gold: Hocker and Wanyonyi
Diamond League Champion: TBD
Highest point total from the IAAF/WA Tables: Wanyonyi's 1:41.11 is worth 1295; Jakob's 3:26.73 is almost as good at 1292
Most Consistent: Wanyonyi
Here is the official World Rankings, where a computer does the real math so you don't have to trust a guy like me (or any other random poster) who is just thinking out loud:
Using the WA rankings is stupid because they count results from last year. That means Jakob’s ranking is helped by events he ran last September such as his 2000 world record and the fast mile and 3000 he ran at last year’s DL final. We’re discussing the best middle distance runner of 2024 only.
Jakob isn’t eligible for the 2024 middle distance award because he has only raced for roughly three and a half months. Maybe you can nominate him for middle distance runner of the summer if you want, but it’s preposterous to say he’s the middle distance runner of the entire 2024 year.
Yeah, it also seems to align with what he said about finding the paced DL events, with wave lights, boring. Maybe he just likes racing without help with pacing.
You could argue Hocker had the single best PERFORMANCE of 2024 but no way did he have the best YEAR. Hocker only finished 7th at Pre, lost to Kerr by 3 seconds at Pre, lost to Kerr by 5 seconds at Millrose, and got beat by Geordie Beamish of all people at the world indoor championships. Sorry, he is not worthy of the middle distance runner of the YEAR award.
Bang on.
Yeah - rooting for a loser.
You are contradicting yourself in almost any post.
After his win and course record at the 5th Avenue Mile today, Josh Kerr is the 2024 men’s middle distance runner of the year. Let’s take a moment to recognize his magnificent year.
He’s one of only three middle distance men this year to medal at the both the world indoor championships and the Olympics.
He broke the indoor world record in the two-mile.
He won the 3000 gold medal at the world indoor championships.
He won the prestigious Bowerman Mile and broke the 39-year British record previously held by Steve Cram.
He broke Mo Farah’s British record in the 1500 and became the first British man to medal in the 1500 in consecutive Olympics since Sebastian Coe.
He defended his title at the 5th Avenue Mile and smashed the 43-year course record.
For winning medals, breaking records, and shining indoors, outdoors, and on the road, Josh Kerr is the men’s middle distance runner of the year.
You could effectively argue this case for several runners depending on the accomplishments you choose to prioritize. The 1500 was loaded with talent this season, and different runners have different strengths. If you think being a strategic and savvy racer is a priority along with being an olympic champion, then you are going to argue for Hocker. If you think the person who can cover a distance the fastest with pacers and lights but achieving world record (or close) times, then you will argue for Jacob. Overall decent showing in a wide variety of events without knocking much out of the park is definitely Kerr. You could debate all day long about which of these is the best based on what criteria you choose to focus on. I would even throw Hobbs in there for going full throttle every race and not allowing anyone to get lazy. He has definitely made things more interesting this year and has the most potential for future seasons.
He was running his arrogant ass off, and he was beaten…again.
You're talking about Jakob in Paris?
And Kerr too! Neither of them got it done when it really mattered.
Jakob has the consolation of a) an Olympic Gold medal (again) and b) a massive world record that stunned everyone who saw it. He destroyed the best "middle distance" record on the books (assuming you consider 3000m to be middle distance).
Getting a gold medal and a world record in the same season is a better season than a British Record and a silver medal.
Also, who has run the fastest time this year? Also not Kerr.
And Kerr too! Neither of them got it done when it really mattered.
Jakob has the consolation of a) an Olympic Gold medal (again) and b) a massive world record that stunned everyone who saw it. He destroyed the best "middle distance" record on the books (assuming you consider 3000m to be middle distance).
Getting a gold medal and a world record in the same season is a better season than a British Record and a silver medal.
Also, who has run the fastest time this year? Also not Kerr.
Jakob’s gold medal was in a long distance event. That has no bearing on who was the 2024 MIDDLE DISTANCE runner of the year.
Jakob didn’t win any middle distance medals this year. Kerr won two. He won indoor gold and Olympic silver. And he had the fastest time in the mile and two miles. Kerr wins.
Jakob was bad in every race without a pacer this year + he got steamed in multiple diamond league races.
He was clearly the 6th best middle distance runner this season (Wanyonyi/Arop).
Without pacers and pace lights Jakob is a fraud, who has only succeeds when his opponent feed him (Tokyo) or he competes in actual distance events. What's even more pathetic is that he makes up excuses every time he loses.
After his win and course record at the 5th Avenue Mile today, Josh Kerr is the 2024 men’s middle distance runner of the year. Let’s take a moment to recognize his magnificent year.
He’s one of only three middle distance men this year to medal at the both the world indoor championships and the Olympics.
He broke the indoor world record in the two-mile.
He won the 3000 gold medal at the world indoor championships.
He won the prestigious Bowerman Mile and broke the 39-year British record previously held by Steve Cram.
He broke Mo Farah’s British record in the 1500 and became the first British man to medal in the 1500 in consecutive Olympics since Sebastian Coe.
He defended his title at the 5th Avenue Mile and smashed the 43-year course record.
For winning medals, breaking records, and shining indoors, outdoors, and on the road, Josh Kerr is the men’s middle distance runner of the year.
No one cares about World Indoor.
The World Indoor 3000m might as well have been a Fun Run with no Ingebrigtsen, Aregawi, Kejelcha, or Girma in the field. 1, 3, 5, and 6 all-time.
The Big Boy 3000m was run in Silesia where Ingebrigtsen ran 7:17, Aregawi ran 7:21, and Kerr DNS.
The World Indoor 3000m might as well have been a Fun Run with no Ingebrigtsen, Aregawi, Kejelcha, or Girma in the field. 1, 3, 5, and 6 all-time.
The Big Boy 3000m was run in Silesia where Ingebrigtsen ran 7:17, Aregawi ran 7:21, and Kerr DNS.
Jakob cared about world indoor enough to try it in 2022 but he came up short as he almost always does in middle distance events at global championships.
Jakob cared about world indoor enough to try it in 2022 but he came up short as he almost always does in middle distance events at global championships.
And?
He also owns the 1500m indoor world record. Not many people know this because nobody cares about indoor track!
Just compare 2024 World Indoor 800m field / podium to the Paris Olympic 800m field / podium.
