Wanyonyi, American Koech, Gressier, Kejelcha, Nader, Laros, and Habz arguably had better results this past Outdoor season based on different skillsets. I’m not saying Hocker isn’t up there but it’s too muddled to seriously consider him the best.
Nader won a watered down 1500m field.
Always haters ... and you didn't see Burgin that is ranked better than him with zero exploit and medals.
Say this until you see Nader taking down your Hocker.
Would love to see a 1k or 1200m hocker vs cooper lutkenhaus. As hard as hocker kicks I don’t see him out kicking the smooth but deadly finish cooper has. This would be a super exciting race to watch
I dont think he is the favorite to win any of the top three 5000m races in the DL. I dont think hocker is beating Jakob, Almgren or the best africans since people are going for fast times
Well that doesn’t make you the best distance runner in the world. The 5,000 meters on the circuit are just one of many types of races to win. I think few would’ve ever considered Gebrhiwet the best distance runner in the world in 2024 despite his DL dominance. It’s some mix of circuit wins and championship racing success. Usually these things match up, but increasingly they’ve diverged. Even though 2026 is a non-championship year, the World Ultimate Champs is the best-paying and most loaded race of the year in all likelihood.
Not even close, the number 1 "distance" runner in the world is Jakob Kiplimo. he would destroy Cole in the 10k, 1/2 marathon and of course the marathon. As far as middle distance runner, he is definitely in the top 3-5 and sure could have an argument for top 1 or 2. I would say that he is the top 1500 meter runner although World Athletics has him as #19 and Track and Field News has him at out of the top 10, however those rankings aside, he's probably top 1 or 2 in the 1500m and top 5 in the 5,000. I would have loved to see him face Kiplimo in World Cross and an uninjured Jakob I in the 5,000.
He's going to get embarrassed by Sam Ruthe at the Sound Invite on the 14th. Hocker is too cocky and Ruthe is hungry and doesn't know any better than full gas. He'll catch Cole by surprise and it will be a HUGE storyline.
If he "shushes" him at the finish line it would be the best thing to ever happen in track & field.
You do realize that Hocker did this to a cocky Centro when he beat him in 2016, right? You were probably cheering Hocker on then. Now you want Ruthe to do it to Hocker LOL. What a never ending cycle.
My lord you people are stupid.
Ummm... Duhhh... NO, I didn't realize that, I pulled the idea straight out of my a$$, I guess it's a coincidence that Cole Hocker did it to someone else that I didn't know about and here I am wishing the same upon him. Damn, maybe I'm psychic.
Wanyonyi, American Koech, Gressier, Kejelcha, Nader, Laros, and Habz arguably had better results this past Outdoor season based on different skillsets. I’m not saying Hocker isn’t up there but it’s too muddled to seriously consider him the best.
Those who didn't win gold shouldn't belong there, Wanyonyi isn't distance. Gressier lost the world championship head to head (in Hocker's off event), Nader won a watered down 1500m field.
Wanyonyi is middle distance which is the same category as the 1500/Mile
You’re ignoring how Gressier won Gold in one event and a medal in the other, while Hocker didn’t make the final of his main event.
The 1500m final didn’t have Jakob or Hocker but included the last 3 defending world champions, something you can’t say is true for the 5000m. In some ways, Hocker’s 5000m field was more watered down.
Don’t hate Hocker but there are too many If’s and buts right now with him to conclusive call him the best. I already conceded he’d be the best were he to run a top 2 or 3 all time indoor mile in his next race and win the World Indoors double.
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Hocker is looking good, but he needs to string together some wins in outdoor. Indoor is super fun though.
I am not convinced that Fisher would not have run up there with Hocker after his epic 2000m.
And Myers, Laros, and the usual suspects Kerr, Nguse, and possibly Hobbs peaking, Jacob is either out of the picture struggling with the injury or hyper focused on outdoor. so we may never see Jacob at all time peak shape, which is just a bit better than a couple of years ago.
So world's best greatest runner, needs to dominate. lets see 3 elite wins in a row over the best outdoor competition.
Jakob done. Hocker is now the only hope to break the 1 mile outdoor track record that has stood like 27 years! Naguse done. Kerry done. Let's go Hocker!! Best kick ever
After that convincing Millrose win, I think every race from this point on he should be the favorite to win. Am I wrong?
considering your username, i think he lives rent free in your head how does it feel waking up every day thinking about a man and your life revolves around him?
He's going to get embarrassed by Sam Ruthe at the Sound Invite on the 14th. Hocker is too cocky and Ruthe is hungry and doesn't know any better than full gas. He'll catch Cole by surprise and it will be a HUGE storyline.
If he "shushes" him at the finish line it would be the best thing to ever happen in track & field.
You do realize that Hocker did this to a cocky Centro when he beat him in 2016, right? You were probably cheering Hocker on then. Now you want Ruthe to do it to Hocker LOL. What a never ending cycle.
Excluding T+F and sprints and 400 H, the top (distance) guys are, in that order:
Wanyonyi
Sawe
Hoey
Sedjati
J. Korir
Laros
Arop
Kiplimo
Fisher
Burgin
Habz
Attaoui
P. Koech
Nuguse
Nader
Gressier
Masalela
Mehary
R. Cheruiyot
El Bakkali
Hocker
So, not quite but almost top 20 in the official World Athletics list. As of 26 Jan 2026, so we can revisit this once the past weekend is included.
What's the point of this, do you genuinely think guys like Fisher, Sedjati, Mehary, Cheruiyot are better than him? The list is ass and takes diamonds leagues in way too high of a consideration, and USAs and worlds way too low.
The point is to provide an official list of the distance runners in "Men's Overall Ranking", in response to the thread title "Cole Hocker is officially the #1 distance runner in the world right now".
That you personally would give more weight to national championships instead of DL races doesn't change that. Personally I think DL races have normally better competition.
Those who didn't win gold shouldn't belong there, Wanyonyi isn't distance. Gressier lost the world championship head to head (in Hocker's off event), Nader won a watered down 1500m field.
Wanyonyi is middle distance which is the same category as the 1500/Mile
You’re ignoring how Gressier won Gold in one event and a medal in the other, while Hocker didn’t make the final of his main event.
The 1500m final didn’t have Jakob or Hocker but included the last 3 defending world champions, something you can’t say is true for the 5000m. In some ways, Hocker’s 5000m field was more watered down.
Don’t hate Hocker but there are too many If’s and buts right now with him to conclusive call him the best. I already conceded he’d be the best were he to run a top 2 or 3 all time indoor mile in his next race and win the World Indoors double.
Sure buddy, by accolades Gressier technically had a better year. The statement was " Cole Hocker is officially the #1 distance runner in the world right now" which factoring the results and fitness of Hocker last year as well as his American record and Millrose Games win this year over a strong field, is a legitimate statement that I agree with.
That being said you're being a disingenuous Hocker hater as usual. Hocker did make the final looking easy, he did however get disqualified afterwards for jostling. Sure, fine, but he was still obviously in good enough shape to win the entire final (and make the final, not sure why that's held against him).
The 1500m field included an injured Josh Kerr, a post prime Jake Whiteman (hasn't had nearly as good of results in the 1500m or 800m as when he was at his best, both in time and competition, yet still got Silver), a way past prime Cheruiyot who hasn't done anything since the Olympics.
Accolades don't matter in a championship race, it's who's most fit at the moment. Niels Laros should have been the one to win, but didn't show his usual fitness that he had across the outdoor season which was unfortunate. So all the heavy hitters did so bad that the way past their primes runners managed to medal/get good results.
That's how watered down it was. The 5000m was solely watered down in terms of Jakob being injured, otherwise there's were many runners who ran in the 12:40s that season as well as the 10000 gold medalist + indoor 3000 world record holder and double Olympic medalist Grant Fisher. All of whom he trounced in a very fast championship race (12:57 I believe).