He won a scrub Rio final with two drug cheats that Faith Kipyegon could have won
Lol this board is full of idiots. No one on planet Earth could have beaten Centro that day. The best of the best tried and failed.
I agree. And it wasn't a scrub kick. He closed in sub 51. It was the fastest close in a 1500m ever. The only guy in history who has comparably closed faster was Coe when he ran his last hundred in like 11.2 sec at one of the Commonwealth Games. And his last 400 wasn't even as fast as Centro. People who criticize Centro for having a slow overall time in Rio don't understand 1500 racing and have no idea what they are talking about.
Lol this board is full of idiots. No one on planet Earth could have beaten Centro that day. The best of the best tried and failed.
I agree. And it wasn't a scrub kick. He closed in sub 51. It was the fastest close in a 1500m ever. The only guy in history who has comparably closed faster was Coe when he ran his last hundred in like 11.2 sec at one of the Commonwealth Games. And his last 400 wasn't even as fast as Centro. People who criticize Centro for having a slow overall time in Rio don't understand 1500 racing and have no idea what they are talking about.
I don't know about all that. A lot of guys at that level could close that fast. I wouldn't call it luck with Centro, his positioning was good and he capitalized. I just think Cole's performance was far more superior. He has the Olympic record and American record from that race. I'm not calling Centro a bona fide scrub by any means.
Looking past your need to provoke, I’m open to admitting you may be right. I will say though, there isn’t really anybody else in the world who is a clear favorite in Cole’s place. There’s a lot of really good guys but none of them really dominating the others. You could say it’s Ingy, but he blows it at the major championships in the 15 and I’m actually making the prediction that this injury is the beginning of the end and his days winning on the circuit are over. I just get that feeling somehow. But back to Cole. Totally fair. He struck gold on the right day, but I don’t think you can make the case that anyone is a clear favorite over him either. It’s a roll of the dice. It’s probably the case that Wanyonyi would deal with those guys easily like he did in grand slam, but he said he isn’t going to run the 15 at worlds. That’s unless something changes.
List of the 9 men with multiple 1500m Olympic medals: - Luigi Beccali (ITA): '32-G, '36-B - Kip Keino (KEN): '68-G, '72-S - Seb Coe (GBR): '80-G, '84-G - Fermin Cacho (ESP): '92-G, '96-S - Hicham El Guerrouj (MOR): '00-S, '04-G - Bernard Lagat (KEN): '00-B, '04-S - Nick Willis (NZL): '08-S, '16-B - Taoufik Makhloufi (ALG): '12-G, 16'-S - Josh Kerr (GBR): '20-B, '24-S
Can you provide some clarity on your point with this list and how it is relevant to Membrane's post?
Ridiculous take and there’s so many historical examples to the contrary it’s almost not worth mentioning. Nobody remembers Billy Mills? Bob Schul? Noah Ngeny? Dave Wottle? You must be new to the sport.
Nobody remembers Billy Mills, Schul, or Wottle outside of the US. Ngeny is remembered because he upset the GOAT.
Right, outside of the US. After all it's only a country with 350 million people, a track participation and fan rate of at least millions, a rich history of Olympic medalists and world record holders, and billions of dollars that are invested in track from American companies. Nope, we petty Americans are on the margin and don't matter. Moron.
And you're not even correct in knocking the American gold medalists you mentioned. Billy Mills spoke at public speaking engagements in multiple countries for over 30 years, including many times in Japan where he won gold. The Japanese and others remember Mills as a hero with a motivating triumphant underdog story. Learn before you type Snowflakes. And what an appropriate username you have.
I agree. And it wasn't a scrub kick. He closed in sub 51. It was the fastest close in a 1500m ever. The only guy in history who has comparably closed faster was Coe when he ran his last hundred in like 11.2 sec at one of the Commonwealth Games. And his last 400 wasn't even as fast as Centro. People who criticize Centro for having a slow overall time in Rio don't understand 1500 racing and have no idea what they are talking about.
I don't know about all that. A lot of guys at that level could close that fast. I wouldn't call it luck with Centro, his positioning was good and he capitalized. I just think Cole's performance was far more superior. He has the Olympic record and American record from that race. I'm not calling Centro a bona fide scrub by any means.
I don't know about all that. A lot of guys at that level could close that fast. I wouldn't call it luck with Centro, his positioning was good and he capitalized. I just think Cole's performance was far more superior. He has the Olympic record and American record from that race. I'm not calling Centro a bona fide scrub by any means.
I was thinking the same thing. Although I’ve never competed seriously, it does seem that some runners have a more dramatic fitness peak when it counts.
Also, Centro didn’t set an Olympic record. Both won gold medals, but Cole’s win was one of the top 5 best races I’ve ever watched (and I was rooting for Kerr thinking he was the only guy with a shot to beat Jakob).
That Olympic record is impressive for getting it right on the right day. A superb performance that will live on forever.
However, when you adjust for the shoes, Centro’s 3:30 PR is really only slightly slower than Cole’s 3:27. Maybe a 3:28. So, when you look at the shoe adjustments, these two guys start to look identical in skill set.
It's his first Diamond League 5,000. His first race against world class competition, not just national class and he wasn't up to it. He can run the 5,000 at nationals for the national championship bonus but perhaps not run the 5,000 at the World Championships. Unlike the 1,500, Hocker has very little experience running the 5,000 against top competition.
What experience does he need to run the 5000m? If he wants to make the WC team, he needs run with the top 3 and hang on. There’s no other possible strategy for him.
And it actually isn't true that he lacks DL 5k experience. He ran one in Europe last year and got dealt with, finishing mid pack.
half of the field closed nearly as fast, with the positioning giving Centro an advantage certainly worth 10ths.
and the lack of drafting for him isn't even really a factor with how slow that race was.
it was a great race. he is the one who put himself in that position. it didn't just happen. incredibly strong final 600. not just 400.
but there are at least a handful who could have done it fitness wise, if they were as tactically sound as him. but they weren't, aren't and couldn't be.
This board is full of US people who talk about 8 year old kids running as if the world should be watching. No one outside US knows most of your professional athletes never mind the kids.
I will never understand the US obsession with college sports. It's just kids. Amateur sport!
I tend to agree that it gets a bit ridiculous when there's so much talk about high school and college kids on here, but that's mostly a result of how American sports are structured compared to Europeans. They don't have the system of clubs like we do, where your age doesn't matter, you compete at the level that you qualify for. The high school and college system is their equivalent of the club system.
High school and collegiate distance running is exciting to watch. Your system sounds really boring.
He really fell apart at the end of this one. The Swedish guy started cranking out 30s and when the front of the race ran away from him Cole couldn't maintain.
Is there any point of him running 5000 at USAs now? Just focus on the 1500. Bring home gold
Well, it does show how well things are going overall when so many people are moaning about a guy “falling apart” and running 13:09.
He really fell apart at the end of this one. The Swedish guy started cranking out 30s and when the front of the race ran away from him Cole couldn't maintain.
Is there any point of him running 5000 at USAs now? Just focus on the 1500. Bring home gold
Herrera should give it up too? A sub 13 guy runs 13:17?
Give it a rest. Runners have off days, and sometimes off seasons.
That Olympic record is impressive for getting it right on the right day. A superb performance that will live on forever.
However, when you adjust for the shoes, Centro’s 3:30 PR is really only slightly slower than Cole’s 3:27. Maybe a 3:28. So, when you look at the shoe adjustments, these two guys start to look identical in skill set.
This. Hard to dispute this post.
I can dispute that post. A two second adjustment gets El Guerrouj to 3:24.00 and Lagat to 3:24.36.
He really fell apart at the end of this one. The Swedish guy started cranking out 30s and when the front of the race ran away from him Cole couldn't maintain.
Is there any point of him running 5000 at USAs now? Just focus on the 1500. Bring home gold
Here is the interesting question with Hocker right now
1) He's now 9 good quality races deep this year, with Pre in just over 2 weeks (3 indoors, 5 GST and Stockholm) - is he already beginning to run a little on empty?
or
2) He's found the right mix of "training through" all these races and by the time USATF champs and Worlds come around he will be in Paris 24 shape?
That Stockholm race was slightly eye opening. For one I couldn't believe he was actually doing it in between Philadelphia and what was supposed to be the LA GST meet. To travel to Europe for one raced seemed ridiculous given the amount of travel and racing he's been doing. But I look at what he did indoors - running 12.57 which he was also "training through" and 13.09 seems beyond what I would pass off with "it's no concern at all".
I think he should be jumping for joy that LA was cancelled - he needs to back off and recharge his batteries a little before Pre - that will really be the test of where he is and how his fitness is trending.
I tend to agree that it gets a bit ridiculous when there's so much talk about high school and college kids on here, but that's mostly a result of how American sports are structured compared to Europeans. They don't have the system of clubs like we do, where your age doesn't matter, you compete at the level that you qualify for. The high school and college system is their equivalent of the club system.
High school and collegiate distance running is exciting to watch. Your system sounds really boring.
Watching high school kids run against each other is not more exciting than watching kids who are good enough to compete against the best be able to do it, no. Why do you think no other country has your system?
High school and collegiate distance running is exciting to watch. Your system sounds really boring.
Watching high school kids run against each other is not more exciting than watching kids who are good enough to compete against the best be able to do it, no. Why do you think no other country has your system?
Watching high school kids run against each other is not more exciting than watching kids who are good enough to compete against the best be able to do it, no. Why do you think no other country has your system?
They don’t have the money?
Nope, it's because tying your education and your athletic career together is a stupid system.
What does money have to do with it? Which continent produces the best distance runners? Hint, it's not Europe or North America.
Lol this board is full of idiots. No one on planet Earth could have beaten Centro that day. The best of the best tried and failed.
I agree. And it wasn't a scrub kick. He closed in sub 51. It was the fastest close in a 1500m ever. The only guy in history who has comparably closed faster was Coe when he ran his last hundred in like 11.2 sec at one of the Commonwealth Games. And his last 400 wasn't even as fast as Centro. People who criticize Centro for having a slow overall time in Rio don't understand 1500 racing and have no idea what they are talking about.
It was also the slowest 1500m in history. Not that impressive.
Nobody remembers Billy Mills, Schul, or Wottle outside of the US. Ngeny is remembered because he upset the GOAT.
Right, outside of the US. After all it's only a country with 350 million people, a track participation and fan rate of at least millions, a rich history of Olympic medalists and world record holders, and billions of dollars that are invested in track from American companies. Nope, we petty Americans are on the margin and don't matter. Moron.
And you're not even correct in knocking the American gold medalists you mentioned. Billy Mills spoke at public speaking engagements in multiple countries for over 30 years, including many times in Japan where he won gold. The Japanese and others remember Mills as a hero with a motivating triumphant underdog story. Learn before you type Snowflakes. And what an appropriate username you have.
Nobody said that the US wasn't important for track, way to go with the red herring, moron. That fan rate didn't go so well for Grand Slam Track though did it?
I guarantee you not a single average track person outside of the US remembers any of those guys. Just go on Google Trends and check those guys names, nobody cares.
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