Comebacks and Steps Forward: Looking ahead to 2025

I'll comment on each athlete I listed, starting with Athing Mu: First and foremost, I'd like to see her happy and enjoying track again. I'd like to see her reunite with her college coach who has recently relocated to LA. Then I'd like to see her get back to running some 400m races, set PBs at 800 and 400, and win 800m gold in Tokyo.

She won't reach her burrito level again.

Shelby Houlihan: I'm mainly interested to see how close to her previous level she'll be when she returns. In the 1500, will she be able to hang with Hiltz and ESP, or will she be a tier below them?

Yulimar Rojas: Will she still be able to win triple jump gold after her Achilles injury? I hope so, but that may not be realistic.

Britton Wilson: I want to see her join the sub-49 club and contend for medals. Will she resume hurdling, or will she only run the flat?

Parker Valby: How about 14:40 and 30:30?

Nico Young: Can he go under 12:50 and 26:40?

Graham Blanks: What can he do in a fast 10,000 on the track?

Dylan Jacobs: I'd like to see him join the sub-13 club.

Two former sprint champions looking to come back from injury-plagued seasons: Shericka Jackson and Shaunae Miller-Uibo. They both turned 30 this year, so it's likely their best days are behind them.

Will we see Letesenbet Gidey racing again in 2025? I sure hope so.

Another comeback candidate: Steven Gardiner. This got me thinking:

Has there ever been a year in which so many former Olympic and World Champions were coming back from injury?

Which former champion will have the most successful comeback? I'm picking Mu!

I’d typically think that’s insane for a 21 year old American to be running, but he already has ran 12:57 and 26:52.
That being said, it’s tough to compare him and Blanks. Both clearly train very hard, but how much can Blanks improve from running 100+ miles at 6 flat easy. While I don’t know that much about Nico’s training, I assume it’s high mileage and mainly aerobically focused but with easier easy days. I just think his form will hold him back a bit, and I think he’ll have less of an initial “pro boost” (or whatever you want to call it) than Blanks, since Blanks is at sea level and almost certainly had more academic stress than him. That being said, he does seem to have more natural talent than Blanks so its a toss up

did you really have to make all your cr ap comments in separate posts?

LOL. Thanks for your constructive feedback! I figured it would be better to comment on athletes separately rather than post a wall of text. With separate comments, people can respond to the comment on whichever athlete most interested them, as "26:39 is my prediction" did above. Have a pleasant day.

Yeah, those times seem crazy for any American let alone someone who's as Young as Nico, but he's already proven himself to be exceptional. Mike Smith said the following about Nico's 2025 potential:

"If you want to see something crazy, watch what (Nico) does next year. Because you’re going to take that athlete we had this year but you’re now going to be able to control the schedule and the peaking. This year: not ideal scheduling and peaking because we’re bound to certain things. Next year: complete control. I think it’s going to be a special thing to witness."

I agree it's tough to forecast which athlete will make the bigger leap.

flagstaffrunningnews.com

Q-and-A with Mike Smith: On Preparing His 5 Olympians for Paris; Looking Ahead to Cross Country Season; Why He Plans to Stay at NAU; and Whatever Happened to Drew Bosley

Sam McManis

There is, simply, no rest for Mike Smith. Not only does he like to wear black – hats, shirt, shorts – but now he’s starting to get dark circles under his eyes. Last fall’s NAU cross country season gave way to indoor track, th...

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Most likely not 2025 as she is expecting the birth of her first child in February

I feel like his season will end up with 12:51 and 26:42 or so (depends on if worlds is a near drag race, not 1500-type but like the 10000m in Paris). He certainly should be in right about 26:38-42 shape if he's healthy and the weather cooperates.