That’s correct. For the top track athletes, only one meet last year mattered. And unless the incentive structure of the sport changes, that will continue to be the case.
If only one meet mattered what are they doing for the rest of the year?
If only one meet mattered what are they doing for the rest of the year?
Preparing for the meet that matters, drongo.
Then why were the great runners in the past spending their time racing throughout the rest of the season? For some, like Ovett, having a string of wins was considered a major achievement. Obviously not today, when some simply have a string of losses. Losing race after race is apparently part of Hocker's "preparation".
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
Hocker has won his last 4 races in a row, including races against international competition. Do you have a criticism that isn't outdated, or do you want to talk about that race he lost when he was a freshman in high school?
Your post is both false and absurd. Kerr and T. Cheruiyot did GST and made the 1500 final in Tokyo. The guy who finished 5th at USAs won a Diamond League race 2 weeks later.
You’ve yet to make a counterargument. My bad I forgot Tim. Kerr placed last with a calf injury, doesn’t count. Are you even going to try to refute me?
I refuted you by pointing out the falsehood and absurdity of what you said.
Hocker has won his last 4 races in a row, including races against international competition. Do you have a criticism that isn't outdated, or do you want to talk about that race he lost when he was a freshman in high school?
I would like to talk about the fact that in the last two years he won only two races that mattered. He lost every other international race. Winning an indoor race a week ago hardly changes the scales of losses. But are you saying that winning races that aren't championship races now matters?
This post was edited 1 minute after it was posted.
Hocker has won his last 4 races in a row, including races against international competition. Do you have a criticism that isn't outdated, or do you want to talk about that race he lost when he was a freshman in high school?
I would like to talk about the fact that in the last two years he won only two races that mattered. He lost every other international race. Winning an indoor race a week ago hardly changes the scales of losses. But are you saying that winning races that aren't championship races now matters?
Your first and second sentences are both false. Go away if you can't debate in truth.
I would like to talk about the fact that in the last two years he won only two races that mattered. He lost every other international race. Winning an indoor race a week ago hardly changes the scales of losses. But are you saying that winning races that aren't championship races now matters?
Your first and second sentences are both false. Go away if you can't debate in truth.
You haven't followed the thread - or his career. He won a global championship title in 2O24 and 2025 but lost in every other international race he competed in in each of those years. That isn't a "number one". It is a fluke artist - or something else.
Your criticisms are outdated and false. If you have to dwell on the past, omit relevant facts, or lie, that means you don't have a valid case.
I hate that you have me agreeing with armstronglivs on this one. You keep moving the goalposts and are making your argument weaker.
Hocker is losing almost every race he enters since leaving college. He’s won 1 global 1500m, 1 global 5000m. He “won” some small indoor exhibition races this season. Millrose is not an “international race.” Kerr is just coming back from a rough injury and isn’t close to his old form. Hocker was 2 seconds slower than last year, and 7 seconds slower than the world record. Prior to the Millrose Games, all the chatter on here was confidently stating Hocker would run 7:58 lol he couldn’t even keep on pace for 8:00 after 1 lap before he slowed things down.
Armstrong is very right though, Hocker is either a “fluke artist” or “something else”. My money is on the “something else” considering he’s been going backwards in 1500m progress since he ran one good race in 2024
1. Nader would have torched Hocker in Tokyo 2025, just like he touched the rest of the field including Wightman, Kerr, Laros and both Cheruiyots.
51.2 final 400.
25.3 final 200.
12.2 final 100.
Three things Hocker has NEVER DONE.
2. I didn't say he's cooked. Lots of guys move up in distance. I said that he is cooked in the 1500 until proven otherwise.
Hocker actually hit the bottom two splits to win the 2021 Olympic Trials. And he's gotten much better since.
Sure, but the final 400 of the 2021 trials 400 was NOT a 51.2, and it was a slightly slower race overall. (3:34.1 Nader WC 2025 vs 3:35.3 Hocker OT.)
Look, I'm not saying Hocker doesn't finish well. He does!
I just think it's wild to pretend Hocker was a "lock" in the WC 1500 before his DQ.
He rarely shows much inclination to force a fast race (and in any case hasn't broken 3:30 since Aug 2024), so it's unlikely the race would have gone any faster with him in it.
And Nader beat the guys above with the finish above.
I would like to talk about the fact that in the last two years he won only two races that mattered. He lost every other international race. Winning an indoor race a week ago hardly changes the scales of losses. But are you saying that winning races that aren't championship races now matters?
Hocker fanboys when he loses at nationals, Pre, Diamond Leagues: "NOBODY CARES! IT'S JUNE!"
Hocker fanboys when he wins indoor time-trials in January: "HOCKER IS ON TOP OF THE WORLD!"
You’ve yet to make a counterargument. My bad I forgot Tim. Kerr placed last with a calf injury, doesn’t count. Are you even going to try to refute me?
I refuted you by pointing out the falsehood and absurdity of what you said.
You didn't point out anything "absurd" in my post, you merely labeled it as such without actually interacting with the argument. Please do explain what is so absurd.
Hocker actually hit the bottom two splits to win the 2021 Olympic Trials. And he's gotten much better since.
Sure, but the final 400 of the 2021 trials 400 was NOT a 51.2, and it was a slightly slower race overall. (3:34.1 Nader WC 2025 vs 3:35.3 Hocker OT.)
Look, I'm not saying Hocker doesn't finish well. He does!
I just think it's wild to pretend Hocker was a "lock" in the WC 1500 before his DQ.
He rarely shows much inclination to force a fast race (and in any case hasn't broken 3:30 since Aug 2024), so it's unlikely the race would have gone any faster with him in it.
And Nader beat the guys above with the finish above.
When a person with integrity is caught red-handed saying something that is verifiably untrue, they do not respond with “Sure, but…”. They admit they were wrong and apologize before continuing with the conversation. Will you acknowledge that what you said is clearly inaccurate?
Armstrong is very right though, Hocker is either a “fluke artist” or “something else”. My money is on the “something else” considering he’s been going backwards in 1500m progress since he ran one good race in 2024
PB 3:30.59 before running 3:27.65 in the Olympics in Aug 2024, in a nice 3-second PB at age 23.
Never again under 3:30 since the same month he ran 3:27 in the Olympics. (3:29.85 in a DL 2 weeks later. No other sub-3:30s...at all.)
"Something else" indeed!
You could almost say the "glow" has faded.
(I am just talking here the way everyone does when "other" runners hit sudden heights and don't return to them.)
Sure, but the final 400 of the 2021 trials 400 was NOT a 51.2, and it was a slightly slower race overall. (3:34.1 Nader WC 2025 vs 3:35.3 Hocker OT.)
Look, I'm not saying Hocker doesn't finish well. He does!
I just think it's wild to pretend Hocker was a "lock" in the WC 1500 before his DQ.
He rarely shows much inclination to force a fast race (and in any case hasn't broken 3:30 since Aug 2024), so it's unlikely the race would have gone any faster with him in it.
And Nader beat the guys above with the finish above.
When a person with integrity is caught red-handed saying something that is verifiably untrue, they do not respond with “Sure, but…”. They admit they were wrong and apologize before continuing with the conversation. Will you acknowledge that what you said is clearly inaccurate?
Huh?
Actually, everything I said was accurate. I named Nader's splits (which are quite verifiable), and stated that Hocker has never closed that well (also quite verifiable).
My statement that Hocker has never closed like Nader IS ACCURATE; Hocker has had a similar last 100 and 200, but in that example (as I said) a slower last 400 and slower overall race... which is pretty important if you know anything about, well, running.
I acknowledged the 2021 trials closing 100 and 200 because TL is a good poster. But those don't "refute" anything I said. In fact, it underlines my point: in a slower race and a slower final lap, Hocker couldn't run the last 100/200 faster than Nader did in a faster race and a faster last lap.
Then why were the great runners in the past spending their time racing throughout the rest of the season? For some, like Ovett, having a string of wins was considered a major achievement. Obviously not today, when some simply have a string of losses. Losing race after race is apparently part of Hocker's "preparation".
Competition is much deeper today. Hocker peaks very well for the biggest events. He’s mentally tough enough to shrug off losses while prepping for world level title meets. You’re simply jealous of his success.
Armstrong is very right though, Hocker is either a “fluke artist” or “something else”. My money is on the “something else” considering he’s been going backwards in 1500m progress since he ran one good race in 2024
PB 3:30.59 before running 3:27.65 in the Olympics in Aug 2024, in a nice 3-second PB at age 23.
Never again under 3:30 since the same month he ran 3:27 in the Olympics. (3:29.85 in a DL 2 weeks later. No other sub-3:30s...at all.)
"Something else" indeed!
You could almost say the "glow" has faded.
(I am just talking here the way everyone does when "other" runners hit sudden heights and don't return to them.)
You just gonna ignore his 3:30.3 at USA’s last season closing in 1:49 which clearly indicates he’s in sub 3:30 shape? Yeah you probably had no idea 😂