It’s not gutsy. It’s desperation born out of the knowledge that pushing the pace is his only chance of winning. If Jakob could win a 1500 the same way he wins the 5000, he would.
There’s a lot courage involved. That’s why’ll you’ll never see Kerr, Nuguse, Hocker and others take the lead from the start or even halfway in a major championship. Never.
I'd like to see him use this same courage in the 5000.
Bingo! The honor explanation is horse crap. If it was about honor, then he'd run the 5000 the same way he does the 1500. He literally took a water break in the middle of the WC 2022 5000.
Jakob just talks about honor in the 1500 because his ego is too big to confess that his motivation for leading is lacking faith in his kick. It's hilarious his gullible fanboys buy his talk about honor. Where was his honor in tailing Cheruiyot in Tokyo?
The person who has the best kick doesn't need to lead. If Jakob raced a 1500 against only the guys he beats in the 5000, he wouldn't lead the whole thing because in that setting his kick would be the best. That's what it's all about.
While I do agree with you that the honor thing is kinda silly, I do think he does have a complex of wanting to win one gun-to-tape a la Tim in Doha. But I'd call that ego, not honor. I think by now most people would think his best tactic would be more like 2022 than 2024. Let someone else lead through the first 400-700, and then grind it out from there at a breakneck pace (sub-55 throughout) that will burn off others' kicks. Going gun to tape all-out reads more hard-headed than honorable. When Tim was doing it, it made more sense because even in 2021 Jakob didn't show his Tokyo form until Tokyo. He'd obviously smoked everyone in Doha too, while losing in 2017 to Manangoi when the pace lagged. Now Jakob has seen that three guys can run 3:27.
Kicker doesn't exist. There isn't person who has the best kick. It's different from race to race, many factors have an influence here. It's all in the training, the preparation, the readiness, the biorhythm, and then the innate kick.
Jakob has been routinely outkicked in outdoor global championship 1500s (and the mile - Prefontaine) for several years now. So several runners have a better kick than he does over that distance.
Why then don't those several runners use their better kicks? Do they save them for once a year or less? Why does Jakob win races more often than all of them combined? Or do you think their "joint kick" is better than his? Can you explain it to me in more detail?
Jakob has been routinely outkicked in outdoor global championship 1500s (and the mile - Prefontaine) for several years now. So several runners have a better kick than he does over that distance.
Why then don't those several runners use their better kicks? Do they save them for once a year or less? Why does Jakob win races more often than all of them combined? Or do you think their "joint kick" is better than his? Can you explain it to me in more detail?
A list of runners have beaten him when it counts most - global finals. If his kick is superior why hasn't he won an outdoor title in his main event since 2021?
Why then don't those several runners use their better kicks? Do they save them for once a year or less? Why does Jakob win races more often than all of them combined? Or do you think their "joint kick" is better than his? Can you explain it to me in more detail?
A list of runners have beaten him when it counts most - global finals. If his kick is superior why hasn't he won an outdoor title in his main event since 2021?
A list of runners have beaten him when it counts most - global finals. If his kick is superior why hasn't he won an outdoor title in his main event since 2021?
How about you answer his questions?
I have but you can't see it. He is regularly beaten in global championships by runners with a superior kick. It doesn't require one runner to keep doing it - they take turns.
Sorry Jakob haters. Even when Jakob loses he’s the star of the show. Got some ballz on him to push that race from the gun.
Love him or hate him, every race is better when Jakob is racing.
When I see Jakob on the line in the 1500 it conjures for me the opening lines of Infinity War....
"In time, you will know what it's like to lose. To feel so desperately that you're right, yet to fail, nonetheless. Dread it. Run from it. Destiny still arrives." Thanos
I'll leave to everybody to decide who Jakob is in this story....
OMG....I got the quote wrong. The actual quote is much more spot on. This summer, it should be Jakob's mantra in the 1500.
"I know what it's like to lose. To feel so desperately that you're right, yet to fail nonetheless. It's frightening, turns the legs to jelly. I ask you to what end? Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same. And now it's here. Or should I say, I am." Thanos
Got some ballz on him to push that race from the gun.
i'm gonna have to disagree. when you make it to the 1500m finals in the olympics, you are allowed to race however you want and anyone who didn't make it to the finals (all of us) simply do not have the rights to complain. people can't congratulate jakob for not winning while also calling matthew centrowitz a fluke for winning.