Salvitore Stitchmo wrote:
I don't think he was saving much - it didn't appear like that optically and he just ran his third fastest time ever, which is still in terms of the overall grand scheme of 1500m running, one of the fastest times ever run (22nd all-time by all performances).
I just watch these races and think it's laughable the expectation that is on him. There was an overwhelming sentiment across many threads on this message board that the WR was going to be a foregone conclusion and it was going to happen tonight. If he even breaks 3.27.0 again this season it would be absolutely epic - Hicham is the only man to even breaj it more than once and do it multiple times (2) in a season.
Ok I disagree that the general sentiment was that a WR was certain (I did say Hocker would win though so what do I know). With that said, you can't act like he doesn't put the expectations on himself. This is the dude that lost WCs and called the winner "just the next guy", and after losing 2 years in a row, said that he'd beat Jake and Josh 98/100 times (btw he lost the next 2 times he raced Josh lol). And beyond the talk, he's already broken one of El G's records (2k), his 1500m pb is = to the mile WR, he already holds the 1500i WR, and his 2-mile WR converts faster than Komen's 3k, which many (stupidly and dumbly) thought was the strongest record on the books. He has probably the best 24 hour double ever, with his 3:43/7:23 last year, and this year he's in better shape and has more rest.
I said I thought Jakob had a shot at the WR, though it was unlikely. I think it was a fine prediction, even though now we've seen he's not at that level. If he breaks 3:27 again this season, it'll be epic, but tbc his season is already one of the greatest ever. 3:26 and Olympic 5k gold is only matched by El G.
