Faster than he was last year here. Think he just missed the move with Nuguse. He will be ready at trials
"Missed the move" is not really what happened. There was no move to speak of.
The gun went off. Nuguse and Habz pushed really hard to connect with the pacer and then ran on the lights (WR pace) for 1400m. At the end, Nuguse and Habz were rigging, Laros came from 12th pace at the 1000m mark and somehow won by 1/100th of a second.
Meanwhile, Hocker ran well in the pack. If the race I just described above hadn't happened, Hocker would have been the winner in the pack.
But as you know, there was real race going on and that one happened to be for the actual win.
This post was edited 7 minutes after it was posted.
Jacob is injured, but we'll give you him just based on his historical excellence.
Kerr? Lost to Hocker earlier this year in Jamaica, but edged him by 7/100s of a second in Philly, but okay, we'll give you him too.
Nuguse? Lost to Hocker in Philly, but had a great run at Pre, so fine, we'll give you him as well.
Laros? 2-5 lifetime against Hocker, but sure, we'll even give you him off of his great close at Pre.
So that's 4 guys. Who else? Habz? Also 2-5 lifetime against Hocker in the 1500, but his "secret sauce" seems to be working just fine this year, so we'll throw him in too.
5 guys. All of whom Hocker has beaten--or more important, likely will beat in Tokyo.
Thus, your "8-10 guys" is a bit off, and I will mark this post and come back to you in September and serve you a generous helping of humble pie when Hocker likely wins (definitely podium -- mark it). You silly, silly man.
What about Festus Lagat? Isn't he in 3:29 shape right now? What about Phanuel Koech? Didn't he just run his second 1500 of his life and bust out a 3:27?
I think there are 10 guys "in the mix" right now including Hocker. I am a Hocker fan, but to claim he is better than these guys this year is not showing enough respect to the fact that the Olympic result from 2024 don't matter during races in 2025.
Faster than he was last year here. Think he just missed the move with Nuguse. He will be ready at trials
"Missed the move" is not really what happened. There was no move to speak of.
The gun went off. Nuguse and Habz pushed really hard to connect with the pacer and then ran on the lights (WR pace) for 1400m. At the end, Nuguse and Habz were rigging, Laros came from 12th pace at the 1000m mark and somehow won by 1/100th of a second.
Meanwhile, Hocker ran well in the pack. If the race I just described above hadn't happened, Hocker would have been the winner in the pack.
But as you know, there was real race going on and that one happened to be for the actual win.
100% Wavelight pacing is public knowledge before the race, so there is no surprise Nuguse went with the pacer. Especially when his coach is alluding to this fact in an interview with LR's JG.
Hocker only won because Jakob made the biggest mistake of his life- left the inside Lane wide open! Had Jacob stayed against the rail, Hocker never would have won- he would have been blocked
Jakob went wide to try to block Kerr, which opened the rail for Hocker. Had Jakob stayed on the rail, Kerr likely wins with Hocker in second. But we’ll never know.
Nugusse leaving the rail wide open at Pre was a huge tactical blunder. Certainly cost him the race.
Hocker only won because Jakob made the biggest mistake of his life- left the inside Lane wide open! Had Jacob stayed against the rail, Hocker never would have won- he would have been blocked
Jakob went wide to try to block Kerr, which opened the rail for Hocker. Had Jakob stayed on the rail, Kerr likely wins with Hocker in second. But we’ll never know.
Nugusse leaving the rail wide open at Pre was a huge tactical blunder. Certainly cost him the race.
Every runner on the planet does that. Try another excuse.
Faster than he was last year here. Think he just missed the move with Nuguse. He will be ready at trials
Hocker knows how to peak.
We should all remember him being 100% written off a couple years back by LRC. People get injured, people have bad days, sick days. Guys who crush Kerr, Jacob, and Goose in the olympics get the benefit of the doubt from me.
Ah yes the "dope for one race" strategy. Surely PED's immediately take effect and go away shortly after. Not sure why everyone else is using the outdated cycle method of PED use or doping in the off season so far out from races. Don't they know the benefits go away immediately?
Someone should tell bodybuilders they only need to juice up the day of the show
Jacob is injured, but we'll give you him just based on his historical excellence.
Kerr? Lost to Hocker earlier this year in Jamaica, but edged him by 7/100s of a second in Philly, but okay, we'll give you him too.
Nuguse? Lost to Hocker in Philly, but had a great run at Pre, so fine, we'll give you him as well.
Laros? 2-5 lifetime against Hocker, but sure, we'll even give you him off of his great close at Pre.
So that's 4 guys. Who else? Habz? Also 2-5 lifetime against Hocker in the 1500, but his "secret sauce" seems to be working just fine this year, so we'll throw him in too.
5 guys. All of whom Hocker has beaten--or more important, likely will beat in Tokyo.
Thus, your "8-10 guys" is a bit off, and I will mark this post and come back to you in September and serve you a generous helping of humble pie when Hocker likely wins (definitely podium -- mark it). You silly, silly man.
What about Festus Lagat? Isn't he in 3:29 shape right now? What about Phanuel Koech? Didn't he just run his second 1500 of his life and bust out a 3:27?
I think there are 10 guys "in the mix" right now including Hocker. I am a Hocker fan, but to claim he is better than these guys this year is not showing enough respect to the fact that the Olympic result from 2024 don't matter during races in 2025.
What about Festus Lagat? Isn't he in 3:29 shape right now? What about Phanuel Koech? Didn't he just run his second 1500 of his life and bust out a 3:27?
I think there are 10 guys "in the mix" right now including Hocker. I am a Hocker fan, but to claim he is better than these guys this year is not showing enough respect to the fact that the Olympic result from 2024 don't matter during races in 2025.
Hocker will be beaten by so many of these guys in Tokyo.
Including Timothy CHERUIYOT. Timothy ran 3:29 in early June and is just getting started.
Hocker's best 1500 this year is a slow 3:32.88 en route in the Bowerman mile, in his own backyard and a the biggest DL of the year to all American Nike athletes... where Cole could only beat Timothy by 0.28 just days after Timothy flew around the world to be there. 😆😆😆😆😆
Faster than he was last year here. Think he just missed the move with Nuguse. He will be ready at trials
Hocker knows how to peak.
He won the OTs twice and has the trials record. Golbal championships: 6th, 7th, 2nd, 1st - olympic record, made every final. Ran 7:23, 12:57 indoors. When championship time comes, bet on Hocker.