and room to run - they were out a little over pace in the first 300m of that which cost her slightly in that 3rd lap and at the end. Kipyegon is capable of 3.48.0
She's been improving every season. She's been solid the last year. That being said, the shoes definitely helped, but to see her run so fearlessly against Kipyegon proves well for her medal chances.
DAWG SHES HAD THE SHOES SHE JUST PBED BY LIKE 5S WTF 3:50???
I remember there was a point last July when some posters were unfairly down on Laura Muir’s season, right after she’d finished 2nd in a slow U.K. Championship (deja vu all over again?), and she trended well from there. She actually ran well in her two Diamond Leagues so far this year: 4th in Eugene in 3:56.35, and 1st in Stockholm in 3:57.99. Not sure what more you’d expect at this point in the season from someone whose second fastest time ever is 3:55.16 and is 31 now. She’s had two years in her career when she broke 3:56 more than once, 2021 (probably her career peak, honestly) and 2023 (when both 3:55s came in September). I think she’ll be fine.
Having said that, I didn’t pick her top-3 in Paris today. I have Kipyegon for the W of course, with Hull 2nd and Mageean 3rd. Hull has already PRed at 800, 1500 and 3k this year, and at 27, in an Olympic year, this is really her time to shine. I’m hoping that with a little luck she can snag a bronze at the Games (yes, for some reason I’m rooting for her over my U.S. compatriots).
She did get 6th at Worlds though and was passed by the likes of Mageean and Nelly Chepchirchir to be fair. So today if Mageean, Hull or Bell beat her there’d be some rightful concern that her medal-winning days are in the past. She’s obviously still good.
Just flagging that the FBK games has some strong wavelight targets:
2:12.0 for mens 1000 (Laros, Myers)
12:48 for mens 5,000 (Kipkorir Kimeli, Haile Bekele)
1:55.5 for women’s 800 (Keely, Sekgodiso)
3:54 for women’s 1500 (Hassan)
Paris targets are most notable for World leads in M800 and W1500.
