I don't think you people are actually fans of the sport if you unironically think a race that's ran less than once a year is the only race that matters in the sport.
Absolutely fantastic. World class talent combined with great coaching and perfect periodization gets these results. 1500m gold in 3:27, 5000m gold in 12:58.
I don't think you people are actually fans of the sport if you unironically think a race that's ran less than once a year is the only race that matters in the sport.
I don't think many people think like that exactly, but I would say winning races other than Oly/WC is more like a tie-breaker. Like if two people have same amount of Oly/WC golds, then we would compare them through PR (or WRs count), then how many races they win.
So international races, DL races - even national championships - don't matter? He's only serious for one race a year?
Well, he ran a 7.23 low indoors this winter -second best ever in the world. Guess he would have done a fast mile/1500m that day if that had been the event…. His 5000m today shows an athlete in progression and not only a peaker, IMO…
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So international races, DL races - even national championships - don't matter? He's only serious for one race a year?
Go on, move those goalposts, hurry up, run run run. Oops, you whacked your head on the fact that he also won the US 5,000m.
The trials. Big deal. After being beaten yet again in his main event in the trials. Till last night he has won nothing of note since Paris last year. It's so obvious.
It looks like he has improved his sprinting form. He takes longer steps and his body jiggles less. He really looked like a trained sprinter the way he blasted the final straight.
(During an interview in the past year, forum guru Galen Rupp commented that he believes Hocker's sprinting form has improved.)
You forget he's only unstoppable once a year. The rest of the time he can't win a race that matters.
Imagine peaking for the WCs
Whattt?
You can say peaking, but is there anyone in the world who peaks like Hocker? In 2024 he was soundly beaten all year until the 3:30 with a huge last lap at USAs, then he ran 3:27 in Paris and still had an enormous kick. None of his 1500m races before or since have been anywhere near that level. This year he only ran 12:57 off the back of his 7:23 and got dropped in his only DL 5k appearance, but today he closed a 12:58 in 52 to win gold.
Gault asked him what he does between USAs and Olympics/Worlds to improve so dramatically and he didn’t really answer the question.
So international races, DL races - even national championships - don't matter? He's only serious for one race a year?
Well, he ran a 7.23 low indoors this winter -second best ever in the world. Guess he would have done a fast mile/1500m that day if that had been the event…. His 5000m today shows an athlete in progression and not only a peaker, IMO…
He didn't win the indoors race. He has had a losing record for over a year - except for one race in the US trials. His win last night used to be described in the sport as a "flash in the pan", not a progression. I expect to see much the same pattern repeat itself.
it’s more accurate to say, “The rest of the time he can’t win a race that doesn’t matter”
So international races, DL races - even national championships - don't matter? He's only serious for one race a year?
Yes. As the Brojos often argue, it’d be nice to have more meets that matter in Track and Field. But as it stands, we don’t. A Diamond League win only pays $20k, which is a pittance for someone like Cole Hocker.
You can say peaking, but is there anyone in the world who peaks like Hocker? In 2024 he was soundly beaten all year until the 3:30 with a huge last lap at USAs, then he ran 3:27 in Paris and still had an enormous kick. None of his 1500m races before or since have been anywhere near that level. This year he only ran 12:57 off the back of his 7:23 and got dropped in his only DL 5k appearance, but today he closed a 12:58 in 52 to win gold.
Gault asked him what he does between USAs and Olympics/Worlds to improve so dramatically and he didn’t really answer the question.
Because there isn't an explanation. He's done nothing different - except for one thing, that makes all the difference. It's as loud as a klaxon.