That was the most pathetic mile I’ve ever seen

I'm saying there was no race until the last quarter mile or even last 220y. The point is that it wasn't a race until the sprint at the finish. I'd rather watch sprinters in a sprint race than milers being sprinters.

I don't hate tactical races, but I'm not interested in races that are merely slow. What was the tactic there? Dawdle till the last minute? It is no more interesting at elite or championship level than at school level.

I will really stick my neck out and say the 1500 Rio '16 final was one of the most uninteresting in years, for the same reasons we're discussing on this thread. Runners who are afraid to race. At the end it's like watching a bunch of guys all suddenly trying to get into the same lift at once - but only one makes it in the jam.

We go back to tactical championship racing for one year and now everyone’s complaining. Good lord. If you’re that upset don’t watch the sport, don’t watch the world champs. It could happen there too. What if the top 3 decide to walk the first 3 laps? Will they be punished by track gods or even worse…. You?

Rio (4:08 mile equivalent ) was one of the most fascinating races if you rewatch it 5 or 6 times and focus on a different runner each time.

Centro grabbed the lead, slowed it down and covered every move, running the final 500m in 1:03 (13 + 50)

Suleiman made the right move with 500 to go but gave it right back with 400 to go, making that first move a waste of energy and he was done.

Kiprop was too cocky and tried to pass the whole field between 300 to go and 200 to go. But Centro had a gap and reserves. Then Kiprop crumbled.

Willis was calm the whole way and picked his spots to make moves.

Makhloufi was in good position to win but left too much of a gap to pass Centro, who ran the shortest distance and measured his effort perfectly to the tape.

Kip didn’t want to rabbit Makh.
Makh didn’t want to rabbit Kip.
None of them were concerned about Centro, but they all got in each other’s way trying not to lead.

If you judge a race by the winning time then you’re not an astute follower of the sport.

No, in indoor that would be an 800m race

Armstronglivs's ego now destroyed.

Q: What do you call the winner of this slow mile that the OP does not like?

A: NCAA champion

Exact same pace as Centro's win in Rio.

Not by the likes of you.

I see you missed the point.

That is his point. An NCAA champion winning in a schoolboy's time. Very impressive. So what, that he can sprint off a race that was a jog for most of its distance.

In the list of Olympic 1500 finals it ranks near what its time suggests.

I see my response was deleted because the mods didn't approve. Briefly, the race isn't judged because of its time but that its time reflects how it was run - which was no race until virtually the last lap. That isn't what I would call a tactical race but a race in which no one has the balls to do anything with it. Not very different from Rio, which is amongst the Olympic finals I wouldn't choose to watch again.