The race with 4 highly accomplished runners who are all focused on just that one race is harder to win than the race with only 2 highly accomplished runners who aren't focused solely on the race.
Last year, Jakob was doubling and he was distracted by his family's court case. Turns out he was on the verge of physical breakdown. He barely beat Aregawi, who had been preparing for a half marathon rather than getting sharp by racing indoors.
Again, there are levels to this. Merely giving them labels such as "highly accomplished runners" ignores just how good Jakob is. He is undefeated in the 3000m since 2020. He is the WR holder. He has shown he can finish fast off of slow and fast paces. He can win any type of race. Even when he is "on the verge of physical breakdown" (exagerated much?) he can still close fast. Beamish is not even close to that level of ability. Hocker has shown that he is beatable when his tactics are off and in a fast race his kick is reduced. Kerr looked weak at the Millrose Games 2 Mile and scratching a race he really wanted to run at British Champs due to an injury doesn't give hope. It's not even close really. Jakob had to double back from a heat win the day before and Aregawi impeded him from running even faster over the last 800 so your point is both unfair and weak.
So again I will ask, which race is harder to win? One against the GOAT of the 3000m or one against 4 good runners?
The race with 4 highly accomplished runners who are all focused on just that one race is harder to win than the race with only 2 highly accomplished runners who aren't focused solely on the race.
Last year, Jakob was doubling and he was distracted by his family's court case. Turns out he was on the verge of physical breakdown. He barely beat Aregawi, who had been preparing for a half marathon rather than getting sharp by racing indoors.
Again, there are levels to this. Merely giving them labels such as "highly accomplished runners" ignores just how good Jakob is. He is undefeated in the 3000m since 2020. He is the WR holder. He has shown he can finish fast off of slow and fast paces. He can win any type of race. Even when he is "on the verge of physical breakdown" (exagerated much?) he can still close fast. Beamish is not even close to that level of ability. Hocker has shown that he is beatable when his tactics are off and in a fast race his kick is reduced. Kerr looked weak at the Millrose Games 2 Mile and scratching a race he really wanted to run at British Champs due to an injury doesn't give hope. It's not even close really. Jakob had to double back from a heat win the day before and Aregawi impeded him from running even faster over the last 800 so your point is both unfair and weak.
Indoor racing is known for difficult it is to maneuver. If Jakob had trouble getting around just one guy, imagine how hard it would have been for him to try get around the three men who beat him to make the Paris 1500 podium.
Again, there are levels to this. Merely giving them labels such as "highly accomplished runners" ignores just how good Jakob is. He is undefeated in the 3000m since 2020. He is the WR holder. He has shown he can finish fast off of slow and fast paces. He can win any type of race. Even when he is "on the verge of physical breakdown" (exagerated much?) he can still close fast. Beamish is not even close to that level of ability. Hocker has shown that he is beatable when his tactics are off and in a fast race his kick is reduced. Kerr looked weak at the Millrose Games 2 Mile and scratching a race he really wanted to run at British Champs due to an injury doesn't give hope. It's not even close really. Jakob had to double back from a heat win the day before and Aregawi impeded him from running even faster over the last 800 so your point is both unfair and weak.
Indoor racing is known for difficult it is to maneuver. If Jakob had trouble getting around just one guy, imagine how hard it would have been for him to try get around the three men who beat him to make the Paris 1500 podium.
Agreed, Hocker looked like an amateur when he placed 5th at the USA Indoors. Imagine if he had just got around those guys.
I don't need to. Jakob alone trumps any of the guys you listed over 3k. It's harder to win in last years field.
Maybe if he's fresh and focused. Not if he's doubling, distracted by family drama, and on the verge of physical breakdown like he was last year.
It’s funny how you are using his worse performance as the point of comparison. Why not use his dominant victory a few weeks back at the European Indoors championships where he had to get through two heats (1500/3000) and a final (1500) where he closed with a 1:49.9 last 800m. It’s harder to beat him in any scenario. Last year’s field was harder to win.
Maybe if he's fresh and focused. Not if he's doubling, distracted by family drama, and on the verge of physical breakdown like he was last year.
It’s funny how you are using his worse performance as the point of comparison. Why not use his dominant victory a few weeks back at the European Indoors championships where he had to get through two heats (1500/3000) and a final (1500) where he closed with a 1:49.9 last 800m. It’s harder to beat him in any scenario. Last year’s field was harder to win.
That's the problem. Jakob was over raced going into Nanjing. 4 races in 4 days concluding a mere 12 days before the start of a global championship way over in China. A brutal schedule that directly led to his physical breakdown.
Jakob was neither fresh nor focused for the 3000 final in Nanjing. He was lucky he only had one real threat in that race, and that threat wasn't race sharp because he had been more focused on preparing for a half marathon that season. If Jakob had gone up against the fresh and focused stallions who are racing the 3000 this weekend, he would have been French Toast like he was when he raced them in Paris.
It’s funny how you are using his worse performance as the point of comparison. Why not use his dominant victory a few weeks back at the European Indoors championships where he had to get through two heats (1500/3000) and a final (1500) where he closed with a 1:49.9 last 800m. It’s harder to beat him in any scenario. Last year’s field was harder to win.
That's the problem. Jakob was over raced going into Nanjing. 4 races in 4 days concluding a mere 12 days before the start of a global championship way over in China. A brutal schedule that directly led to his physical breakdown.
Jakob was neither fresh nor focused for the 3000 final in Nanjing. He was lucky he only had one real threat in that race, and that threat wasn't race sharp because he had been more focused on preparing for a half marathon that season. If Jakob had gone up against the fresh and focused stallions who are racing the 3000 this weekend, he would have been French Toast like he was when he raced them in Paris.
When Jakob is neither fresh not focused, he still wins. When Hocker has to run one final at his peak fitness, he places 5th. Jakob is a harder opponent to beat no matter what scenario. Last years final was harder to win.
We'll just have to agree to disagree. I'm going to look ahead to this weekend's very exciting race with a stacked field. You can keep clinging to the past.
We'll just have to agree to disagree. I'm going to look ahead to this weekend's very exciting race with a stacked field. You can keep clinging to the past.
I would never agree to disagree. It’s pretty simple. It’s harder to win a race against the GOAT of the 3000m. You can continue living in fairy tale land.
We'll just have to agree to disagree. I'm going to look ahead to this weekend's very exciting race with a stacked field. You can keep clinging to the past.
I would never agree to disagree.
If you refuse to disagree with me, that means you agree with me. Splendid!
I'm glad you've finally accepted the reality that this year's field is stronger. Continuing to delude yourself about the quality of last year's field would have been an unhealthy form of copium.
It's so good that you can join in the excitement of this weekend's race! You're welcome.
We'll just have to agree to disagree. I'm going to look ahead to this weekend's very exciting race with a stacked field. You can keep clinging to the past.
I would never agree to disagree. It’s pretty simple. It’s harder to win a race against the GOAT of the 3000m. You can continue living in fairy tale land.
Jakob has the 7:17 3000, having smashed one of the longest-standing records in the books.
It's his sweet spot.
The PBs for this weekend's main protagonists are Hocker 7:23, Kerr 7:30, Nuguse 7:33, Beamish 7:39.
If we put all of them on the line uninjured, I would happily bet on Jakob.
If you refuse to disagree with me, that means you agree with me. Splendid!
I'm glad you've finally accepted the reality that this year's field is stronger. Continuing to delude yourself about the quality of last year's field would have been an unhealthy form of copium.
It's so good that you can join in the excitement of this weekend's race! You're welcome.
No it doesn't. It means I refuse to resort to a pseudo-fallacy. The reality is that last years field was harder to win. It may be deeper such that it is easier to win a silver or bronze medal, but winning gold is easier when you don't have to race against Jakob.
I would never agree to disagree. It’s pretty simple. It’s harder to win a race against the GOAT of the 3000m. You can continue living in fairy tale land.
Jakob has the 7:17 3000, having smashed one of the longest-standing records in the books.
It's his sweet spot.
The PBs for this weekend's main protagonists are Hocker 7:23, Kerr 7:30, Nuguse 7:33, Beamish 7:39.
If we put all of them on the line uninjured, I would happily bet on Jakob.
I would never agree to disagree. It’s pretty simple. It’s harder to win a race against the GOAT of the 3000m. You can continue living in fairy tale land.
Jakob has the 7:17 3000, having smashed one of the longest-standing records in the books.
It's his sweet spot.
The PBs for this weekend's main protagonists are Hocker 7:23, Kerr 7:30, Nuguse 7:33, Beamish 7:39.
If we put all of them on the line uninjured, I would happily bet on Jakob.
Nuguse has an indoor PR of 7:28.24 from Boston in 2023. From the Yared Nuguse article on Wikipedia:
"On January 27, at the Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston, the 23-year-old broke the North American indoor record in the 3000 m with a time of 7:28.24, slicing nearly two seconds off Galen Rupp’s mark set in February 2013. Nuguse's time was also faster than the 7:28.48 outdoor record, which Grant Fisher set in 2022. With a quick 3:56.96 last 1600 m, he moved to ninth on the world indoor all-time list.[19]"
If you refuse to disagree with me, that means you agree with me. Splendid!
I'm glad you've finally accepted the reality that this year's field is stronger. Continuing to delude yourself about the quality of last year's field would have been an unhealthy form of copium.
It's so good that you can join in the excitement of this weekend's race! You're welcome.
No it doesn't. It means I refuse to resort to a pseudo-fallacy. The reality is that last years field was harder to win. It may be deeper such that it is easier to win a silver or bronze medal, but winning gold is easier when you don't have to race against Jakob.
Make up your mind. Do you agree with me or not? If you refuse to disagree, then you agree with me. If you disagree with me, then you agree to disagree.
The reality is Jakob was tired, distracted, and on the verge of physical breakdown when he raced the 3000 in Nanjing. He barely beat a guy who had been training for a half marathon.
Jakob has the 7:17 3000, having smashed one of the longest-standing records in the books.
It's his sweet spot.
The PBs for this weekend's main protagonists are Hocker 7:23, Kerr 7:30, Nuguse 7:33, Beamish 7:39.
If we put all of them on the line uninjured, I would happily bet on Jakob.
Nuguse has an indoor PR of 7:28.24 from Boston in 2023. From the Yared Nuguse article on Wikipedia:
"On January 27, at the Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic in Boston, the 23-year-old broke the North American indoor record in the 3000 m with a time of 7:28.24, slicing nearly two seconds off Galen Rupp’s mark set in February 2013. Nuguse's time was also faster than the 7:28.48 outdoor record, which Grant Fisher set in 2022. With a quick 3:56.96 last 1600 m, he moved to ninth on the world indoor all-time list.[19]"
And Beamish has run 5 seconds faster than what that guy said. Jakob's fanboys aren't good with concepts like reality. They like to delude themselves and make things up.