If there was an annual LetsRun.com message board athlete of the year award, based ~50% on who had the best/most notable performances (at the HS level, NCAA level, Olympic level, whatever) and 50% on simply who generated the most buzz on the boards throughout the year (and therefore male American distance biases come HEAVILY into play), I think Hocker clearly wins for 2021.
For 2001, the first full year of the website’s existence, it’s hard to imagine it wouldn’t have been Alan Webb, right?
Before I think extensively about who would have won this hypothetical award each year in between ‘01 & ‘21 (RULE: ONE and DONE - once an athlete has won the award they are no longer in consideration to repeat), I’ll put it to you—who would take the title in each of these years?
2001 - Alan Webb
2002 -
2003 -
2004 -
2005 -
2006 -
2007 -
2008 -
2009 -
2010 -
2011 -
2012 -
2013 -
2014 -
2015 -
2016 -
2017 -
2018 -
2019 -
2020 -
2021 - Cole Hocker
Also, feel free to question my premise of Hocker winning for 2021; I will say, the obviousness of the decision is contingent on Jakob having already won in recent years...but would he have? And of course, Shelby Houlihan didn’t put up results this year, but she did generate a lot of discussion.