Mechaal looks back to 2021 form. Katir lacks an extra gear in his kick. But most concerning is whether there is something up with Mario injury or fitness-wise?
Great race and perfectly ran by Mechaal. Katir did all the work for the last 700. I think Mario's fine and honestly, goin up against Mechaal and Katir, to podium there is a great result for him
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A good act does not wash out the bad, nor a bad act the good
Katir has been faster than Romo all season, so I don't think there's necessarily reason for concern about him. Remember Katir ran faster than Komen's WR indoors and ran 3:28 over everyone except Jakob in Oslo. This is probably more of a good sign for Mechaal than it's a bad sign for Katir or Romo. Also recall that Romo didn't even win NCAAs last year before his 4th at Worlds. Today, he was so out of it with a lap to go that I wouldn't rule out something being wrong, but I think it's more likely that he's just in his last big training block before Worlds (and the guys ahead of him are really good), since it seems like that what the rest of OAC is up to right now.
I am starting to think that Romo's great worlds performance is clouding our perspective a bit, which may have been far above his baseline performance. Hopefully he can prove me wrong, but I haven't been impressed by his performance this year. I put his chance to medal at <10%.
I am starting to think that Romo's great worlds performance is clouding our perspective a bit, which may have been far above his baseline performance. Hopefully he can prove me wrong, but I haven't been impressed by his performance this year. I put his chance to medal at <10%.
I’d agree with you but he ran 3:29 in Oslo looking excellent and has always raced great in Spanish Champs. Champ last year, competitive third in 2021. For the NCAA runner-up that was really tight and he got boxed no? This race was just being outclassed.
I think the tough training block thesis is fair, but with Fontes and Mechaal showing good form that was risky by Ritz as he was very much at risk to miss out.
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Great race and perfectly ran by Mechaal. Katir did all the work for the last 700. I think Mario's fine and honestly, goin up against Mechaal and Katir, to podium there is a great result for him
No disrespect to Mechaal, but I think Garcia Romo should be expected to beat him in most cases. Second-plus quicker PB, Mechaal is 32 and this is really his best race since Tokyo (he did have an exceptional 7:30 3k). It looked like he was moving to 3k/5k last year and this is really a turning-back-the-clock performance for him.
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Katir’s first tactical 1500m of the season ends in a loss. I think this is a good sign for Jakob and Yared.
I don't think this matters tbh. If the final plays out like we all think it will, it will be far more akin to a Diamond League race with everyone holding on for dear life at 3:28 pace. We already know Katir is not a shifter, he is basically Jakob lite.
You could be right, but in all of these Diamond League 1500m races the last 100m is very important and there is a lot of shifting of positions. Katir just looked weaker than Mechaal over the last 100m today. Not saying this is a terrible sign for Katir. It is just another reminder that championship 1500m racing is unpredictable
Garcia Romo has a high ceiling but he's inconsistent. He's not like Jakob, Katir, or even Hoare who will reliably run 3:30. Garcia will regularly drop a 3:34/35. That's why I wouldn't pick him as a likely medallist even though he's capable of he has a good day.
Katir looked like he suffered from taking on the tag as "favourite." It looked to me like he felt he had to take it on, or thought he could run away from the field. We saw something similar with Wightman at Commonwealths where he admitted that he felt pressured to make an early move as he was World Champ and favourite. In a race with Jakob or the Kenyans pushing from the front, I'd still back Katir to take a medal in Budapest.
You could be right, but in all of these Diamond League 1500m races the last 100m is very important and there is a lot of shifting of positions. Katir just looked weaker than Mechaal over the last 100m today. Not saying this is a terrible sign for Katir. It is just another reminder that championship 1500m racing is unpredictable
Watch the 2019 women’s 1500 final in Doha. Swap out Jakob for Hassan. That’s how Budapest is going down. Katir is well suited to run like Kipyegon in that race and go for silver. Jakob is going to wreck them all, string them out and strength will determine 2nd and 3rd place. All the people who don’t think Jakob can win from the front, just a reminder that Hassan stayed out of trouble at the start, took the lead by 300 m and never relinquished it. That’s what Jakob is going to do next month. Hassan’s front running 3:51 high in that race will be like Jakob doing the same in 3:27 high. Katir certainly could run 2nd in a Jakob rabbited race in 3:28 high, low 3:29. Not saying this is certain, but it’s not going to be a kicker’s race at the end. It’s going to be a hang on for you life race.
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Watch the 2019 women’s 1500 final in Doha. Swap out Jakob for Hassan. That’s how Budapest is going down. Katir is well suited to run like Kipyegon in that race and go for silver. Jakob is going to wreck them all, string them out and strength will determine 2nd and 3rd place. All the people who don’t think Jakob can win from the front, just a reminder that Hassan stayed out of trouble at the start, took the lead by 300 m and never relinquished it. That’s what Jakob is going to do next month. Hassan’s front running 3:51 high in that race will be like Jakob doing the same in 3:27 high.
Why not just watch the 2019 men’s race instead. I’d say that’s more akin.
Watch the 2019 women’s 1500 final in Doha. Swap out Jakob for Hassan. That’s how Budapest is going down. Katir is well suited to run like Kipyegon in that race and go for silver. Jakob is going to wreck them all, string them out and strength will determine 2nd and 3rd place. All the people who don’t think Jakob can win from the front, just a reminder that Hassan stayed out of trouble at the start, took the lead by 300 m and never relinquished it. That’s what Jakob is going to do next month. Hassan’s front running 3:51 high in that race will be like Jakob doing the same in 3:27 high.
Why not just watch the 2019 men’s race instead. I’d say that’s more akin.
Hmmm, probably too much separation for Tim early in that one. The rest of the field is closer to Jakob this year in ability than to Tim in 2019. Splitting hairs, but I expect it to look more like the women’s race where there’s contact for more of the race between Jakob and the rest, but yes, bottom line is that I fully expect Jakob to pull a Tim/Hassan and lead for almost the entire race and not be threatened.
Hmmm, probably too much separation for Tim early in that one. The rest of the field is closer to Jakob this year in ability than to Tim in 2019. Splitting hairs, but I expect it to look more like the women’s race where there’s contact for more of the race between Jakob and the rest, but yes, bottom line is that I fully expect Jakob to pull a Tim/Hassan and lead for almost the entire race and not be threatened.
Yeah the issue for Jakob is kinda his obsession with “lactic” early in these races. It is much easier to bury most of the field a la Tim in 2019 or Tsegay last year if you go out a second under pace. If you go out in 55.5-56 you are a pace setter. 54.5-55.0? Most athletes are making business decisions. Jakob seems stubborn in that he will not blast it.
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