USA men’s 5k- hardest team to make for Tokyo?

I'd say the women's 5K will be tougher than the men's 5K. Schweizer and Houlihan are locks for the team leaving only one spot left. Women's steeple is also set with Coburn, Frerichs, and Quigley.

Overall I agree with the poster who said the women's 400H is the toughest.

trollin' along wrote:

I'd say the women's 5K will be tougher than the men's 5K. Schweizer and Houlihan are locks for the team leaving only one spot left. Women's steeple is also set with Coburn, Frerichs, and Quigley.

Overall I agree with the poster who said the women's 400H is the toughest.

Sheesh, with Bowerman running so well, it will be tough to make the team 1500-5000

1500: Houlian, Simpson, Purrier?

5000: Houlihan, Schweizer, Cranny? Purrier?

Steeple: Coburn, Frerichs, Quigley... Does Ostrander have a chance benefitting from the delay?

tenkrunner wrote:

I think several of you are not understanding the point of this thread...it's not that the US 5k is the most competitive relative to the rest of the world...it's that there isn't a clear 3...probably 8-10 guys with a realistic shot of making the team...assuming that many people can hit the standard.

Well done. Thank you for explaining that.

Nigel Brunton +/- Nial Bruton wrote:

tenkrunner wrote:

I think several of you are not understanding the point of this thread...it's not that the US 5k is the most competitive relative to the rest of the world...it's that there isn't a clear 3...probably 8-10 guys with a realistic shot of making the team...assuming that many people can hit the standard.

Well done. Thank you for explaining that.

What he is describing is not "hardest". It's quite the opposite - a lack of world beaters that gives more national class guys a shot.

Agree

Anyone of the 8 finalist in the OT women's 100 m h would be a medal contender in the Olympics

Lenny Leonard wrote:

Fisher is like the 7th best 5000 guy on his own team. If he makes it, I'll eat my hat.

1. Chelimo

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

2-10. A group of Lomong/Centro/Hunter/McGorty/Mead/Kipchirchir/Bor/Bor/Jenkins

Why have you made it a habit to underestimate Fisher? You started when he was in high school and continue to this day. At least you mentioned him this time. Usually you leave him out of the discussion liked you did in your list. “Best” or fastest. Last week he was the second fastest on the BTC team that raced. My guess is both McGorty and Fisher are in the top 3 best Americans at 5km on BTC’s team right now.

Given McGorty and Fisher are the youngest in BTC group and made huge PR’s last week, I would put my money on youth so you can add Hunter to my list. Lomong isn’t going to run the 5,000 at the trials. Who knows who else is going to run the 10 km, heck McGorty may become the next great US steeple chaser. Hill looked good last week. The other guys in your list are sound and one is great in Centro but they haven’t shown up yet this year. Next year and one year older plays to the hand of youth.

What makes you so certain that Lomong won't run the 5000m at the trials?

10 km, 1500 m double attempt.

Last Olympics. Going out in style.

brahmamama wrote:

NJ fan wrote:

In my opinion the 5k is actually the weakest it's been in a while. First time without both Rupp and Lagat since 2004

Rupp wasn’t as good as some of the current guys at 5000m.

Rupp ca. 2012-2014 was a better proven 5k runner than any of the current guys except Chelimo. Watch the 2012 trials 5k to refresh your memory.

I also take issue with your claim that the U.S. 5k team will be tougher to make than the Kenyan team. Of the 44 men who broke 13:15 in 2019, 14 were Kenyan and 5 were American. Kenya fared slightly better than the U.S. in the WC final, too. I assume your perspective is skewed because you’re more familiar with the American runners.

John Wesley Harding wrote:

brahmamama wrote:

Rupp wasn’t as good as some of the current guys at 5000m.

Rupp ca. 2012-2014 was a better proven 5k runner than any of the current guys except Chelimo. Watch the 2012 trials 5k to refresh your memory.

I also take issue with your claim that the U.S. 5k team will be tougher to make than the Kenyan team. Of the 44 men who broke 13:15 in 2019, 14 were Kenyan and 5 were American. Kenya fared slightly better than the U.S. in the WC final, too. I assume your perspective is skewed because you’re more familiar with the American runners.

Well we agree on Chelimo. I personally feel that Lomong could do better than 7th in the Olympics too, but to each their own.

brahmamama wrote:

John Wesley Harding wrote:

Rupp ca. 2012-2014 was a better proven 5k runner than any of the current guys except Chelimo. Watch the 2012 trials 5k to refresh your memory.

I also take issue with your claim that the U.S. 5k team will be tougher to make than the Kenyan team. Of the 44 men who broke 13:15 in 2019, 14 were Kenyan and 5 were American. Kenya fared slightly better than the U.S. in the WC final, too. I assume your perspective is skewed because you’re more familiar with the American runners.

Well we agree on Chelimo. I personally feel that Lomong could do better than 7th in the Olympics too, but to each their own.

Well, when Rupp placed 7th Lomong placed 10th.

Rupp has faster PBs Indoors & Out. He was ranked top-10 globally each year from ‘12-‘15 (4th in ‘14) while Lomong has never made the top 10. Rupp made global 5k finals in ‘11, ‘12, ‘13 & ‘15 while Lomong failed to make U.S. teams in ‘11 & ‘15 (made the team but not the WC final at 1500 in ‘13).

But to each their own.

NJ fan wrote:

In my opinion the 5k is actually the weakest it's been in a while. First time without both Rupp and Lagat since 2004

Neither Rupp nor Lagat has run the 5K at USAs in 4 years. Where have you been?

John Wesley Harding wrote:

brahmamama wrote:

Well we agree on Chelimo. I personally feel that Lomong could do better than 7th in the Olympics too, but to each their own.

Well, when Rupp placed 7th Lomong placed 10th.

Rupp has faster PBs Indoors & Out. He was ranked top-10 globally each year from ‘12-‘15 (4th in ‘14) while Lomong has never made the top 10. Rupp made global 5k finals in ‘11, ‘12, ‘13 & ‘15 while Lomong failed to make U.S. teams in ‘11 & ‘15 (made the team but not the WC final at 1500 in ‘13).

But to each their own.

Did you miss Lomong have his best year ever last year? If he breaks Rupp’s PR this week will that change your mind?

brahmamama wrote:

John Wesley Harding wrote:

Well, when Rupp placed 7th Lomong placed 10th.

Rupp has faster PBs Indoors & Out. He was ranked top-10 globally each year from ‘12-‘15 (4th in ‘14) while Lomong has never made the top 10. Rupp made global 5k finals in ‘11, ‘12, ‘13 & ‘15 while Lomong failed to make U.S. teams in ‘11 & ‘15 (made the team but not the WC final at 1500 in ‘13).

But to each their own.

Did you miss Lomong have his best year ever last year? If he breaks Rupp’s PR this week will that change your mind?

I can’t see Lomong running faster than 12:58 in some hinkydink meet, so matter who is pacing. He ran 13:00 last year with absolute immaculate pacing. I’m guessing probably 13:08-13:19.

brahmamama wrote:

Alfred de Musset wrote:

That team is strong for US but weak at the world level and none are likely to medal.

Edris

Kejelcha

Barega

Gebriwhet

Telahun Bekele

Berihu

Are all much better than all of the americans.

Their two top steeple guys Wale and Girma would both stomp the US 5 000m field.

These guys can’t all run in the Olympics.

That's the point.

There's no team harder to make than the Ethiopian 5000.

brahmamama wrote:

John Wesley Harding wrote:

Well, when Rupp placed 7th Lomong placed 10th.

Rupp has faster PBs Indoors & Out. He was ranked top-10 globally each year from ‘12-‘15 (4th in ‘14) while Lomong has never made the top 10. Rupp made global 5k finals in ‘11, ‘12, ‘13 & ‘15 while Lomong failed to make U.S. teams in ‘11 & ‘15 (made the team but not the WC final at 1500 in ‘13).

But to each their own.

Did you miss Lomong have his best year ever last year? If he breaks Rupp’s PR this week will that change your mind?

It’ll help. As of now, Lomong ran his 13:00 in a perfectly paced time trial losing to Woody Kincaid, while Rupp ran his 12:58 PB placing 3rd at the Pre Classic, behind Farah & I. Koech but ahead of K. Bekele, Longosiwa, Alamirew etc.

Lomong was 7th in the WC 10k last year, but that’s not exactly evidence he could do better than Rupp in a championship 5k considering Rupp consistently placed higher than 7th in championship 10ks.

But we are talking about 5000m. I don’t buy that Rupp was some ungodly force at 5000m that makes the event so much weaker with his having moved on.

mwebsters wrote:

Nigel Brunton +/- Nial Bruton wrote:

Well done. Thank you for explaining that.

What he is describing is not "hardest". It's quite the opposite - a lack of world beaters that gives more national class guys a shot.

Well, it’s my thread; and he’s explained what I was trying to get across. Perhaps I should have said most competitive with no real stand out (Chelimo?).

It is one of the least competitive though. What if the US had 50 guys running 13:30 and nobody faster? You guys lost credibility and now are twisting the criteria.