He should be considered as much a favorite as anyone. As a bookie, maybe you’d give Laros, Hocker and Kerr equal shortest-odds at this point.
Hocker isn’t close to that sort of shape.
Kerr maybe. It was a much slower second lap, and the Worlds will be 3.27 high.
But he’s looking superb. Firstly the Bowerman, then tonight.
Winning is a habit, and he has it.
I highly highly doubt Worlds will be run in 3:27. There has only been one fast outlier race this year which was that Paris race with Habz, Koech and Mills, and we are all still scratching our heads about that one.
There hasn't been many super fast 3:29/28 races to suggest this is now the new normal. 3:30/31 has often been the average for a fast race this year. In fact I would say we've already seen a downward trend in fast races since Nuguse failed heroics at Pre and USA's. And then Oli Hoare recently too.
I watched it, you’re right. Koech looks downright angry, as in can’t see straight angry when he tries to exit the track the wrong way. He also looks… rather old for a “teen”.
His kick looked incredible today - 25.5 last 200m.
We’ll see. There are other guys with faster PRs and the 1500m begins at the starting line and not 1300m. Maybe after Zurich, there will be a new “next” guy for LRers to rave about.
His kick looked incredible today - 25.5 last 200m.
We’ll see. There are other guys with faster PRs and the 1500m begins at the starting line and not 1300m. Maybe after Zurich, there will be a new “next” guy for LRers to rave about.
In his favor, Laros easily pulled away from the new next guy today and ran down Nuguse with a scorching finish in a 3:45 mile a few weeks ago. His chance in Tokyo is looking good so far.
Everyone in the final is going to be so close in ability that it's going to come down to tactics and a bit of luck. It's going to be a huge mess on the last lap. I actually like Kerr since he seems to be the best at getting himself in position for the final 100m.
It seems odd to me that you think Jakob has been a huge favorite in the 1500m every year since 2020. I wasn’t aware of this. He does seem to be a huge favorite every year at 5000m, this year perhaps excluded.
I wouldn't say huge favorite, but at least from 2021-2023 following his Tokyo win over Tim (and perhaps most of 2024 as well) he was clearly "the" favorite for the 1500. Until the Kerr/Jakob rivalry really started to become the media story for the 1500 leading up to the Olympics last year, it was a Jakob show and his defeats at WCs were seen as surprising "one-offs".
But now we're in 2025, and while a healthy Jakob is still probably the fastest time trialer in the world, he's clearly no longer a favorite to win championship races. He's the only guy consistently at the top since 2021, but he also consistently loses championship races during that time.
Hocker however might be at an all time peak soon, and if so Laros will have to wait just a bit longer to be number 1.
of course anyone can have a bad day at the office, or have a bad trip.
Laros has already proven he's the next one, no matter what.
It looks to me like Worlds will be a 3:30+ race. Tim no longer will push the pace. Yared if he makes it is unlikely to do so. Hocker would make it respectable but that’s it. Jakob if he contests the 1500 probably takes it from 600 in or so. Can’t see him doing so from the gun on this buildup. Tactics will be huge and I trust Kerr/Hocker the most with Tim/Laros after that. I’ve seen the likes of Habz/Nader/Reynold/Nuguse struggle to get their positioning/kicks right. And Koech/Strand/Myers are green at this level.
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Are we all going to ignore the fact hes not even breathing hard at all and immediately started signing autographs a mere 10 seconds after crossing the finish line. But we all know that those Dutch like he and Van Der Pohl are just natural aerobic monsters. Nothing to see here.
Today was easily the best tactical race Laros has ever run at senior level. He's finally sensing he can't swoop the field late at this level, as if it's middle school or European U18.
But in Tokyo it's not clear Jakob will be there or what the pace will be. Laros has only done this once. That's what always makes me pause, as someone who understands power ratings.
There will be numerous guys in Tokyo jockeying for that ideal stalking position that Laros enjoyed today.
If he's further back, boxed or jostled around then there's no guarantee it will look like today.
We got a glimpse of Laros kick vs. Koech kick. We have not seen Laros' version vs. Hocker or Strand.
Today, I have seen "the next guy". It is him. Bow down before your new King. All hail King Laros. His rain is about to begin (or it may have just begun).
Hocker however might be at an all time peak soon, and if so Laros will have to wait just a bit longer to be number 1.
of course anyone can have a bad day at the office, or have a bad trip.
Laros has already proven he's the next one, no matter what.
just watched the letsrun post diamond league podcast
wojo i have come to realize, is not the sharpest tool in the shed with his analysis end to end.
he's wondering about hocker, fisher, goose, everyone.
hocker is peaking, fisher is peaking, goose is a podium guy four out of 5, with two out of five wins in the biggest races. what prey tell more do you want.
sure the goal is to dominate and go next level, but the goose is established a top dude.
once a guy runs a 3rd or something wojo panics.
in the laros loss, he got beat, started the stretch run late, and nearly got 3rd and started closing on laros.
true the heat is on goose to make the world champs.
the top 4 guys are nearly equal, and its a toss up,
no need to panic if you get 3rd in good company.
infact, it means you are very near the top, and on a slightly better day you have the win.
wojobrojos really don't know much about peaking, and handicapping. or should we say, not quite the best at it.
Phanuel took the lead at around 2.26 and Laros kicked past at around 3.18/19 so after Phanuel had led the field for almost a minute. So the big lesson to draw from the race is that Phanuel got it wrong (was he experimenting?) and won't be putting himself out there early to be kicked past in Tokyo. This isn't a demo of 'Laros has a better kick than Koech'. I say both have very good chances.