THE DEBATE IS OVER. HOCKER DETHRONES CENTRO AND ITS NOT EVEN CLOSE

Absolutely agreed. That race was significantly better than any race Centro ever ran.

Considering the gold medal AND Olympic record, completely agree.

Why must we compare? Effin celebrate both. Gold is gold. Best is best. The need to rank, compare, deride... ruins the vibe.

Considering Centro’s gold is slower than the women’s WR, then I think that tells the story. It’s not hyperbolic to say he’s slower than women.

both great races for different reasons

comparing them is silly

nobody cares, but i'm sure hocker really appreciates your input

Dethrones him from what?

Because centro is a pretentious insecure loser

Who cares about dethroning Centro, he dethroned Jacob who was the next, next, next guy.

The toilet. And he was pooping at the time. How rude.

We have two recent Olympic gold medalists why diminish one of them? They both dominated 3:26 1500m runners and the reigning world and Olympic champions to win their races.

Anyway, Kessler 2028 here we go

So with an Olympic/American record 3:27.6 to win the Olympic final, he must be the US 1500m goat, right? Especially since I can't remember a race as hyped as this one.

But Centro does still have WC gold, indoor gold, and Oly silver to go along with his Oly gold. Centro's pb may be 3:30, but Hocker would need 2 more medals or the WR before he can really contend, as spectacular as that run was. With that said, I think Hocker will break 3:26 the next time he races Jakob.

Centro does not have an Olympic Silver. He has a WC silver if I'm not mistaken; he does not have a WC gold.

Centro broke a 108 year US drought.

Both have Olympic Gold.

Centro has a WC Silver, a WC Bronze and an Olympic 4th on his resume.

Hocker has a WC 7th and Olympic 6th.

The 3:27 OR and better PR is amazing, but does his resume dethrone Centro if you were to rank all-time American 1500m runners (at this point)?

I totally agree, I’m not a Centro hater; just bringing up the old beef for fun.

Not trying to diminish Centro, he obviously was great, but this race was wild.

Hats off to Jakob as well. I didn’t have a dog in this race as I like the entire current cast of characters, but Jakob has really given us several years of exciting, fast, honest championship races. It’s been a pleasure to watch.

Hocker isn't here without Centro, the trailblazer, the icon, the old field marshal, the legend. I tip my hat to both.

Hocker doesn't have the American record. Lagat does, beating the best 1500m runner ever, El G., in a time of 3:27.40 exactly 20 years ago, still 0.25 seconds faster than Hocker's time today. No American 1500m runner has approached Lagat's time since then, whether adjusted for shoe technology or not, nor has any American since Lagat equaled his #1 world ranking over El G that year.

Why because he had a better time?

Hocker has not dethroned Centro yet--he needs more hardware. I think he can eventually do it, but surpassing Centro does not put him at the top of the American list. In ,my opinion that would go to Mel Sheppard. Mel won the gold medal in the 1500m AND the 800m in the 1908 Olympics. He won 3 gold medals in the 1908 Olympics. He also won a gold medal in the 1912 Olympics as THE LEADOFF LEG IN THE 4X400!! There is no athlete in the world today with that kind of range. If Hocker won double gold in the 800 and 1500 he would have a case as the greatest. All the history aside the Americans had a great day. Super exciting race!!