He's 24 and may not even be in his prime yet and that's scary, Henry Rono broke 3 world records at 26, Steve Cram broke 3 world records in a 19 day period at 25, Saïd Aouita broke his world records at 25 , steve Ovett was 26 when he broke the 1500m world record and I could go on and on.
It seems that 25 - 26 years of age is the optimum age for world records. Jakob is 24!
El G. is an output of the domination started by Aouita in the 80s and the competition (rivalry) Morocco vs Algeria that started at that the 90s.
If you were living at that era you can understand, if not just leave "Jeezus" away.
Morocco a double World Cross Country since the 90s, first African that won a World Cross Country (1960 and 1964).
A country with elevation, 10 mountains peaks around 4000 meters.
What have USA/GBR since the Golden era? ... everything ended after 1974.
Morocco is a very well endowed nation, from laid back Tangiers in the Northern tip overlooking Spain to Marrakesh in the south. Huge amount of natural untouched solutions such as high mountains and deep valleys and those by the sea coasts ensures a huge breadth of human physical talent for sport as these mountains provide a battery charge full of energy for sport. It wasn't EPO, it was jealousy from white nations. They couldn't believe a skinny El g could run rampant on the circuit. 3 worlds IAAF world athletes of the world, favorite son of Antonia Samaranch the former IOC chief. Seb Coe loved him to no words.
I counted 20 high mountain peaks >= 3600 meters.
Even Kenya with their 5199 meter peak dont have such diversity.
I do think Moroccan out class Algerian in Distances, while they keep competition with them in Middle distances.
I have big in the young athlete Heithem CHENITEF who seems following the path of Makhloufi and the Rifi Al Assal Abderrahmane who is coming from a region medium peaks (Rif Mountains) favorizing distances like the 800m.
He's 24 and may not even be in his prime yet and that's scary, Henry Rono broke 3 world records at 26, Steve Cram broke 3 world records in a 19 day period at 25, Saïd Aouita broke his world records at 25 , steve Ovett was 26 when he broke the 1500m world record and I could go on and on.
It seems that 25 - 26 years of age is the optimum age for world records. Jakob is 24!
He's 24 and may not even be in his prime yet and that's scary, Henry Rono broke 3 world records at 26, Steve Cram broke 3 world records in a 19 day period at 25, Saïd Aouita broke his world records at 25 , steve Ovett was 26 when he broke the 1500m world record and I could go on and on.
It seems that 25 - 26 years of age is the optimum age for world records. Jakob is 24!
ya 24, the boards love him Jacob with the upvotes, and you have a handful of Jacob haters that won't stop, the standard comment, he's hit his ceiling every year for the last 6 years..... i start to enjoy these naysayers, as a psychological curiosity.
now, he's over the hill....
meanwhile at 24, he has 21 gold medals in European senior champs cross, indoor outdoor