Cole MF Hocker takes it to the WORLD CHAMP. Doubters, what do you say now?

Hocker has looked fantastic thus far in the rounds. If he is in the mix in the lead pack in the Final with 200m to go, watch out. I don't know that anybody in the World has a better final 200m than him, especially since Makhloufi isn't running.

The American 1500m torch has officially been passed from Centro to Hocker.

your analogy fails..... 0/10.

One either is pregnant or is not. Perhaps if you knew a female you would understand this.

Lol classic!!

To bring home the Hocker-Kipsang comps fully. Note that Hocker ran great on the competitive tactics-heavy NCAA circuit. Ditto Kipsang in the Kenyan circuit where 3:30-3:32 guys can find it hard to beat hungry young athletes.. The biggest thing is both kept winning and showing tools to win races. Kipsang got some European run, but he didn't run in the huge meetings opting for smaller meets. He kept winning though he did have a setback losing to Wightman to break a 6-race win streak. Bounced back with a 3:32 win but still nothing super-fast. Two things unlike Cole, he lost Kenyan Trials making his move too early. But he did regain his confidence with a sub-3:34 win right after in Europe.

So now you see here is a relatively young athlete but skilled racer like Cole with the potential to run fast and smart. PBs are somewhat irrelevant, both guys are similarly poised to make noise in the Finals.

Tim himself said he thinks Hocker could medal in fact when asked who his chief rivals are Hocker's name came up first. I didn't think he'd have this much of an impact but I was wrong. And of course as usual when the race goes fast Centrowitz did not have it. 9th in his SB and beat by some names I haven't paid any attention to. That kid from Luxembourg? Who the hell is that?

YES, Tim was cruising, he was not going to waste energy on a massive effort in the last 50m.

Now he can mull over his tactics for the final, he's still the favorite.

Hocker was relaxed, he had did not have to go to his top gear in this run. He has a darn good crack at the podium.

AP5000 wrote:

Kaks wrote:

Hocker looked good. You'd think he won the SF by 3 seconds based on the reaction on here though.

Exactly. Lot of faster dudes in the second SF. People are really convincing themselves he can beat Timmy, and Jakon I and McSywen, and Wightman and Kerr and Kipsang.

Something about Hocker that doesn’t appeal to me… haven’t given it much thought though.

I don’t think he’ll be on the podium but I won’t be upset if he is… it’s not like I really know anybody racing in the final.

Go Cole. Great running.

Big Red wrote:

YES, Tim was cruising, he was not going to waste energy on a massive effort in the last 50m.

Now he can mull over his tactics for the final, he's still the favorite.

Hocker was relaxed, he had did not have to go to his top gear in this run. He has a darn good crack at the podium.

I don't begrudge Kipsang or Wightman blasting the last 150 to nab the semi win, but it is not necessary. Both are young and shouldn't feel it in the final. If you think to the 800, maybe Rotich had a little less aggression in the final feeling two fast rounds in his legs at his age? Who knows, but there is nothing wrong with laying off the win.

By the same token, Jakob and Tim shouldn't be knocked for taking care of business. And as for Hocker great job by the LRC crew getting Tim's thoughts. The man has eyes too:

“There [are] some strong guys,” he said. “Hocker is good, Jakob. McSweyn.”

There you have it. Even Timothy Cheruiyot thinks Hocker can medal.

Cheruiyot then admitted he’d watched Hocker’s run at the US championships. “Yes I watched. The guy is good in kick.”

ShilohDoesntCare wrote:

Tim himself said he thinks Hocker could medal in fact when asked who his chief rivals are Hocker's name came up first. I didn't think he'd have this much of an impact but I was wrong. And of course as usual when the race goes fast Centrowitz did not have it. 9th in his SB and beat by some names I haven't paid any attention to. That kid from Luxembourg? Who the hell is that?

ok but hocker ran a PB and centro still ran faster in his heat. Hocker lucked out with his heat. If roles were reversed Centro would be in the final and hocker would not. So some names you haven't paid attention to, are faster than your lord and savior, hocker.

HobbyJOG wrote:

COLE HOCKER is FIRST AND FOREMOST AN AMERICAN.

Therefore : He won't even finish top 6

2012 Olympics - Leo Manzano Silver Medal

2016 Olympics- Matt Centrowitz Gold Medal

What are you talking about?

rojo wrote:

But he hasn't run fast... Fair enough but

His pb is now 3:33.....

He ran well. He did what he needed to do to get into the final.

Occam wrote:

Rojo... you and the rest of the hocker jock sniffers fail to realize. Centro ran a faster time than hocker and was smoked in the second heat. you think cole is going to be competitive with real 1500M runners. He's an anti vaxxer idiot for starters. Probably doped to the gills. Oregon is annoying AF

You fail to realise that Centrowitz's faster time was in a race where he was slowing down. Hocker ran a faster last three laps than Centrowitz opened. Centrowitz couldn't hold a 2:51.7 effort to the finish line; Hocker ran 2:51.5 after going out in 42.3. Centrowitz doesn't beat Hocker to the line in the same heat.

AsbelKiprop wrote:

ok but hocker ran a PB and centro still ran faster in his heat. Hocker lucked out with his heat. If roles were reversed Centro would be in the final and hocker would not. So some names you haven't paid attention to, are faster than your lord and savior, hocker.

As always look at the splits and don't be a slave to the times.

6th and 7th qualifier in heat 2: 55.6 last lap to run 3:32.7 or 3:32.8. Luxemborg guys fades badly in last 50, and Hayward is distant from the top 5 qualifiers running flat-out.

Hocker ran well 52.8/25.6 for a time just a second slower.

8/13 of heat 2 make it and in heat 1 only 5 make it with the Ethiopian and Kenyan champions just missing and not even running that badly. You really want to claim Hocker had it easier?

Jake Wightman, Josh Kerr and Jake Heyward all advance to men’s 1,500m final at Tokyo Olympics

Great Britain’s Jake Wightman, Josh Kerr and Jake Heyward all advanced to the final of the men’s 1,500m at Tokyo 2020.

It is the first time Team GB’s trio have advanced to the men’s 1,500m final since 1984.

Wightman looked excellent to win the first semi-final in 3:33.48 ahead of the USA’s Cole Hocker and gold medal favourite from Kenya Timothy Cheruiyot.

While the second semi-final was won in an Olympic record by Kenya’s Abel Kipsang in 3:31.65, with Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen (3:32.13) second and Kerr third (3:32.18).

While Heyward (3:32.82) claimed a PB after making a late surge to take sixth and qualify as one of the two fastest athletes not inside the top five.

https://worldathletics.org/athletes/great-britain-ni/jake-heyward-14597392

Strong performance and Hayward looks like he has a bright future. Kerr I'm still wary of, as had he been in heat 1 I think his Q might have been awfully dicey.

Even the young Moroccan A. Sadikki run faster than both Americans with 3:33:59.

It's a bit unfortunate for this new generation of 1500m Moroccan runners.

Essayi probably fall from inexperience and some naivety in the first round.

There are a lot of talented runners that got unlucky in the Olympic games.

But I'm not counting in the dust...

The more deserving runners to win are:

1. Cheruuiyot

2. Kipsang

3. Ingerbrigsten.

There are three Britanics in the final who could eventually medal.

Notice the improvement made by Jake HEYWARD:

From

2020

3:39.04

Newberg, OR (USA)

31 JUL 2020

to

2021

3:32.82 Olympic Stadium, Tokyo (JPN)

05 AUG 2021

AP5000 wrote:

Kaks wrote:

Hocker looked good. You'd think he won the SF by 3 seconds based on the reaction on here though.

Exactly. Lot of faster dudes in the second SF. People are really convincing themselves he can beat Timmy, and Jakon I and McSywen, and Wightman and Kerr and Kipsang.

Kerr and McSweyn? Have you watched the heats/semis?

They were 3rd and 4th in betting odds going into the games. Odds are offline for now, but I bet they are 6th/7th when they come back up.

They are no longer medal contenders. They’ve looked like garbage thus far.