While letsrun is fawning over Leo Young's (honestly amazing) 5k high school record, wanted to point out that over in Belgium at the IFAM Meeting in Oordegem, Dutch 18yo Niels Laros (who broke Ingebrigtsens U18 1500m record last year, double U18 euro gold), ran a 13:23 5k (PB was 13:57). He is now 2nd on the season's U20 list in the World!
Interesting to note that Henrik Ingebrigtsen also ran this race, first decent race in years to run 13:13
While letsrun is fawning over Leo Young's (honestly amazing) 5k high school record, wanted to point out that over in Belgium at the IFAM Meeting in Oordegem, Dutch 18yo Niels Laros (who broke Ingebrigtsens U18 1500m record last year, double U18 euro gold), ran a 13:23 5k (PB was 13:57). He is now 2nd on the season's U20 list in the World!
Interesting to note that Henrik Ingebrigtsen also ran this race, first decent race in years to run 13:13
While letsrun is fawning over Leo Young's (honestly amazing) 5k high school record, wanted to point out that over in Belgium at the IFAM Meeting in Oordegem, Dutch 18yo Niels Laros (who broke Ingebrigtsens U18 1500m record last year, double U18 euro gold), ran a 13:23 5k (PB was 13:57). He is now 2nd on the season's U20 list in the World!
Interesting to note that Henrik Ingebrigtsen also ran this race, first decent race in years to run 13:13
Fawning? Fawning? Fawning? Fawning? Fawning? I do NOT think so. Great effort for Laros though. Very impressive, he said, without even a hint of fawning.
The highlight of the IFAM Meeting was Femke Bol who tried 14 strides until hurdle seven. Ran WL of 53.12, slow for me and by SML standards but it was her fastest opener.
not legal cuz it's hand-timed, but if anywhere close, this kid has wheels and endurance
the fact that he broke Ingebrigtsens U18 1500m record last year and got double U18 euro gold while being reportedly lightly trained (and he actually looks 18) tells me he's a generational talent
just watch his utter domination and change of pace
18 years-old is a grown-ass man. Why compare him to high school kiddies?
Laros turned 18 a month ago. But he is getting a quick start on things by Dutch standards because they sent him to Flagstaff to train all winter. He skipped indoor season altogether.
18 years-old is a grown-ass man. Why compare him to high school kiddies?
Laros turned 18 a month ago. But he is getting a quick start on things by Dutch standards because they sent him to Flagstaff to train all winter. He skipped indoor season altogether.
This kid, Niels Laros, has massive potential and he's doing it the right way by concentrating on track and speed and this is almost the polar opposite to the phenomenal runner we saw a few years ago from Sweden, another kid, Emile de la Oliva, who ran 13:28 and 28:23 at age 19, in 2020, with great things to come but then the Swedish kid made a great mistake, in my opinion, by going to Kenya and just ramping up the mileage with no end in sight, and losing his track speed and the following two - three years have given very disappointing result to the Swede so the way this Dutch kid is doing it is much better and much more intelligent in my opinion.
Speed is everything and if you have the speed base everything else is easier and more efficient.
Some other boy prodigies caught my eye yesterday in different track meets in Europe.
Grosseto, Italy. A relatively new Norwegian 20 year old monster, Tobias Gronstad won the 800 m last night in 1:45.67. The kid has reasonable wheels because two years ago at age 18 at the Bislet stadium he ran a 48.18-400 meters. He also has a 1:15.33/ 600 to his name.
Last night, in Grosseto, another kid and in this case from South Africa, 23-year-old Maxime de Chaumeton ran an outstanding 7:44.34 in the 3000. Devout Ethiopian Muslim, Abdilmana (21) won with 7:39.74. Kids running fast times all over the place this is the new way.
This South African kid also has endurance because he has a 27.58 ten kilometer run from Durban in 2022. His speed is more than reasonable as he has a 3.59.01 mile to his credit.
In Belgium last night another older kid ran great and this was Simon Sundstrom, Sweden, 25 years young, who dominated the steeple with a 8:29.82 win. Simon has a best of 8:21.50 from Huelva, Spain, in 2021. In my opinion Simon is worth around 8:10 to 8:15 because that run in Spain two years ago was run in hot and windy conditions hardly propitious conditions to run a fast time in a distance race.
Go Sverige -so many Nordic monster kids, these days.
reportedly lightly trained (and he actually looks 18) tells me he's a generational talent
He is an incredible talent, but there are several or more 'generational talents' coming through at the moment, not to mention he is only 4 years younger than Jakob himself. Max Burgin also just turned 21 last week, and if he can get a full season under his belt, would not be surprised to see him run sub 1:43 and even a sub 3:30 if he were to run the 1500m in a big race.
Then there is Cameron Myers. Lets also not forget the Polish kid who ran 1:44 a couple of years ago and was injured last season. And a host of other talented youngsters who could really breakthrough this year, such as Ethan Hussey who reached the finals of both the 800 and 1500 in the World Junior championships last year, and smashed his 800m pb last week.
Non African kids now believe they can be the best in the world. It was hard to believe that 20 years ago (before the ABP started catching Kenyans).
reportedly lightly trained (and he actually looks 18) tells me he's a generational talent
He is an incredible talent, but there are several or more 'generational talents' coming through at the moment, not to mention he is only 4 years younger than Jakob himself. Max Burgin also just turned 21 last week, and if he can get a full season under his belt, would not be surprised to see him run sub 1:43 and even a sub 3:30 if he were to run the 1500m in a big race.
Then there is Cameron Myers. Lets also not forget the Polish kid who ran 1:44 a couple of years ago and was injured last season. And a host of other talented youngsters who could really breakthrough this year, such as Ethan Hussey who reached the finals of both the 800 and 1500 in the World Junior championships last year, and smashed his 800m pb last week.
Non African kids now believe they can be the best in the world. It was hard to believe that 20 years ago (before the ABP started catching Kenyans).
Non African kids can rival the best over 800/1500, but at 5000/10,000 and over, I think the African kids will always have the upper hand - genetics, body types, environmental factors will favor Africans. 800/1500 are power events and Wazungu ("whites") are excellent in that department - think soccer players....and related sports (volleyball, handball) ...where Wazungu hold their own. Argentina World Cup winners, all Wazungu.
