And if I'm not mistaken, only one runner in history has gone faster than Laros in BOTH the 800m (1:44.19) and 5000m (13:10.86), and that runner is Said Aouita (1:43.86 and 12:58.39). Pretty darn good for someone who is still only 20.
(It'd worth noting that Laros and Alan Webb both has the same exact PB in the 5000m with 13:10.86, and Webb's 800m PB is 1:43.84)
Did Aouita the cheater ever break 1:44 other than in 1988 - when he was training as an 800m runner and didn't run anything longer than a mile (and even his mile speed seemed to be affected, which is why he probably pulled out of the 1500 in Seoul to save face)?
Aouita had a giant bandage on his thigh when he willed himself to 800 bronze on Seoul. He made the semi round in the 1500 but did not show up. So more likely it was the injury rather than saving face that caused him to pull out of the 1500.
I think you're right. Probably the closest after Webb for the 800m among those better at 5000m are Matthew Centrowitz (1:44.62/13:00) and Augustine Choge (1:44.86/12:53.66). Lopez Lomong ran 1:45.58/12:58.78.
Good point
I tried making a list over best combos of 800m and 5000m PBs. Here's the list (I'm probably missing some)
Said Aouita: 2424, 1:43.86 (1208) & 12:58.39 (1208)
Steve Ovett 2338, 1:44.09 (1201) & 13:20.06 (1137)
Cole Hocker (1:45.13 & 12:57.82(i)) and Yared Nuguse (1:44.77 & 13.02.09(i)) obviously belongs on the list. The tricky part is the with indoor marks, the scoring gets very different. I agree that a 12:57 indoor is better than a 12:57 outdoor, but the scoring tables converts Hocker's 12:57 indoor to a 12:44 low outdoor, and Nuguse's 13:02 indoor to a 12:47 high outdoor. That is way too generous. If we uses outdoor points Hocker gets 2387 (1169 +1218) and Nuguse gets 2382 (1180 + 1202)
For some stupid reason, I actually forgot to include Andreas Almgren (really embarrassing as I'm half-Swedish), but he is actually tied in first place with Said Aouita with 2424, with his 1:45.59 (1156) & 12:44.27 (1268)
Steve Ovett 2338, 1:44.09 (1201) & 13:20.06 (1137)
Cole Hocker (1:45.13 & 12:57.82(i)) and Yared Nuguse (1:44.77 & 13.02.09(i)) obviously belongs on the list. The tricky part is the with indoor marks, the scoring gets very different. I agree that a 12:57 indoor is better than a 12:57 outdoor, but the scoring tables converts Hocker's 12:57 indoor to a 12:44 low outdoor, and Nuguse's 13:02 indoor to a 12:47 high outdoor. That is way too generous. If we uses outdoor points Hocker gets 2387 (1169 +1218) and Nuguse gets 2382 (1180 + 1202)
For some stupid reason, I actually forgot to include Andreas Almgren (really embarrassing as I'm half-Swedish), but he is actually tied in first place with Said Aouita with 2424, with his 1:45.59 (1156) & 12:44.27 (1268)
Yeesh, what a combo of PRs. Surely he has far and away the best 800/10k combo of all time with his 26:53?
we can take a guy like Laros for granted, he is obviously an impressive runner. Him beating a field of B-level professionals does not add to what makes him impressive.
What he did this weekend was completely expected and doesn't really add anything to his world level prospects, just as Jakob doubling at Euro indoors doesn't change what he already was. He was already there.
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It's the way he did it though. A 1:44.19 looking like he could have gone faster, the day after a 53 second final lap in the 5000m, is impressive.
But I agree that it would have been better to see him in London. I think he would have beaten Koech. I wonder if the Dutch Athletics federation pressure their star U23 athletes to take part in this competition? Stefan Nielsson ran two events too (including the steeplechase).
It's the way he did it though. A 1:44.19 looking like he could have gone faster, the day after a 53 second final lap in the 5000m, is impressive.
But I agree that it would have been better to see him in London. I think he would have beaten Koech. I wonder if the Dutch Athletics federation pressure their star U23 athletes to take part in this competition? Stefan Nielsson ran two events too (including the steeplechase).
would have loved to see him in London, though I don't think the U23 was a terrible idea. Great weekend of work for him.
Yes, he is definitely ready for something like a 1:43 mid. And who would doubt the possiblity of better? Sky is the limit. He's a far bigger talent than Hobbs.
This post was edited 20 seconds after it was posted.
It's the way he did it though. A 1:44.19 looking like he could have gone faster, the day after a 53 second final lap in the 5000m, is impressive.
But I agree that it would have been better to see him in London. I think he would have beaten Koech. I wonder if the Dutch Athletics federation pressure their star U23 athletes to take part in this competition? Stefan Nielsson ran two events too (including the steeplechase).
The fed has final say in bringing them along for the season in terms of trying to have them at their best at the WC. We’ll see if it works or not. I find it amusing that Koech’s handlers claim he’s a teen, yet he really does look at least three or four years older than Laros who looks like an average 20 year old.
And if I'm not mistaken, only one runner in history has gone faster than Laros in BOTH the 800m (1:44.19) and 5000m (13:10.86), and that runner is Said Aouita (1:43.86 and 12:58.39). Pretty darn good for someone who is still only 20.
And if I'm not mistaken, only one runner in history has gone faster than Laros in BOTH the 800m (1:44.19) and 5000m (13:10.86), and that runner is Said Aouita (1:43.86 and 12:58.39). Pretty darn good for someone who is still only 20.
(It'd worth noting that Laros and Alan Webb both has the same exact PB in the 5000m with 13:10.86, and Webb's 800m PB is 1:43.84)