Until today he was known for getting second at USAs in the 800 in 2022. He was a 1:44.3/3:37 guy.
Now he’s a Diamond League champ and the US 1500 ranks are sick.
How did he even get in this meet?
As if the men's 1500 in the US wasn't loaded enough...
American JONAH KOECH wins the Rabat Diamond League 1500m in 3:31.43, a six-second personal best at age 28. One of the unlikeliest victories in Diamond League history.https://t.co/B72YRoJkJIpic.twitter.com/yuplNY0Zp5
He had the slowest 1500 PB in the field by over a second. Slower than the four Moroccans who presumably got in by national favoritism. How did he get in, and why were there 17 runners plus two pacers in a DL 1500?
I have no special knowledge into the DL inner workings, but Koech's UA-Dark Sky teammate Abe Alvarado has become a go-to pacer (he paced the 2025 Wanamaker quite well), and he was the pacer for this race in Rabat. Perhaps UA/Dark Sky were given a little extra leeway to add in Koech (along with Ciattei, who would have the resume to get in anyway) when they committed Alvarado?
I have no special knowledge into the DL inner workings, but Koech's UA-Dark Sky teammate Abe Alvarado has become a go-to pacer (he paced the 2025 Wanamaker quite well), and he was the pacer for this race in Rabat. Perhaps UA/Dark Sky were given a little extra leeway to add in Koech (along with Ciattei, who would have the resume to get in anyway) when they committed Alvarado?
Sorry, I was wrong; Koech is with the UA-Baltimore group, not Dark Sky.
Noah Koech: He came to the US in 2017, to run for University of Texas, El Paso. So he's been in the USA 8 years. Not sure how he gained citizenship so fast. I'm assuming his wife might be American.
Anyways, good luck to him, after all, the USA is a nation of immigrants.
Interestingly, he wasn't even an athlete at St Patrick's school in Iten, Kenya, prior to 2017. He had been a volleyball and tennis player.
Noah Koech: I think he can run 3:29.00-3:29.5 before season is over, 2025. His 1:44.3 - 800 speed translates well to 1500.
The fact that he started athletics late, means a longer career. Fresh legs. His collegiate career at UTEP focused on intervals with modest mileage, 40-50 miles a week. At least that was the deal for most UTEP middle distance runners, in the past. If wrong on the mileage, I stand corrected.
Believe this as much as Hoey's jump in performance. Quite ridiculous, all of it.
Koech a much different case. He’s gotten better every year and pretty steadily. He barely raced the 1500 and might’ve found his event. He was running 3:37 to win obscure events last year and 1:44 is sufficient to run 3:31 as we’ve seen. Is there more to come because the only top guy(s) in the race were Komen (coming off injury), Reynold (got jostled and came from way back), and Habz (who paced the entire race). He certainly looks ahead of Ciattei, Green, Strand etc. but Kessler might still be odds-on to beat him let alone the big 2.
Noah Koech: He came to the US in 2017, to run for University of Texas, El Paso. So he's been in the USA 8 years. Not sure how he gained citizenship so fast. I'm assuming his wife might be American.
Anyways, good luck to him, after all, the USA is a nation of immigrants.
Interestingly, he wasn't even an athlete at St Patrick's school in Iten, Kenya, prior to 2017. He had been a volleyball and tennis player.
1. It's Jonah not Noah.
2. He was a national level 800 runner in college.
3. He came in 2015 not 2017.
4. He became a citizen fast because he joined the military.