Azeddine Habz, meilleur performeur mondial de l'année, a seulement pris la 7e place de sa série aux Mondiaux de Tokyo et est donc éliminé d'entrée. Autre sensation, l'élimination du Norvégien Jakob Ingebrigtsen, 8e de sa séri...
The other two French runners had mixed fortunes in the 1500 meters. Anselmini, the tiny (5.6) runner, failed to qualify, taking 9th in his heat (6 to go through), but Romain Mornet ran excellently in the last heat grabbing fourth spot to qualify for the semi-finals.
The explanation is whatever hard training he must have been doing all year had him peaked for the DL meet he set the world lead in. This carried a bit to PRE as well where he finished a respectable top 3. If he wasn’t at his peak then, it would imply he’d have to be in at least 3:26 shape now.
Doped or not, he peaked a few months ago. It really is as simple as that.
I might add that when the race is slow, it might not be too wise to spend a lot of time on lane 2 on the last lap...Much are harder to run a 52 pt in such a position.
It’s clear as day. He’s a doper and had to reduce his cycle to near zero for the world championships and he isn’t able to perform without it
Possible but not proven...Habz peaked too early. I looked at his body language when he finished seventh and he looked disappointed but he did not look devastated which indicates he had possibly accepted the fact that he was no longer in Peak form at this juncture.
The explanation is whatever hard training he must have been doing all year had him peaked for the DL meet he set the world lead in. This carried a bit to PRE as well where he finished a respectable top 3. If he wasn’t at his peak then, it would imply he’d have to be in at least 3:26 shape now.
It makes sense too. If you're Habz going into the 2025 season after not making the Olympic final, what makes you think that aiming to peak at Worlds is going to get you a different result than the previous year? Instead, at 31 years old, he decided he had maybe 1-2 seasons left to go for the French national record - a much more realistic goal - and there's a chance to do it in a home stadium DL meet in Paris. His entire season this year was designed around that 3:27 race.
He just said "there is no explanation" for his inability to qualify for the semi finals.
For the record, he was also eliminated in Paris, O G. before the finals.
It seems Habz is a better racer in non- championships compared with these special conditions.
Will he still be around for Los Angeles in 2028? I doubt it but it would be good if he were.
Few things:
1. Habz was in the lowest margin Heat. The top 5 were all in within .3s. Strand and Nillessen who both can make the final had to work and inject a surge after some tactical issues.
2. The South African sandbagged it perfectly. Leo Manzano-like kick.
3. Habz undoubtedly should’ve hit the front. He ran tons of extra distance and he should’ve played to his strength of a long kick windup
4. Even so he’s not in his early season form, which will be the peak of his career. Father Time is undefeated
The explanation is whatever hard training he must have been doing all year had him peaked for the DL meet he set the world lead in. This carried a bit to PRE as well where he finished a respectable top 3. If he wasn’t at his peak then, it would imply he’d have to be in at least 3:26 shape now.
It makes sense too. If you're Habz going into the 2025 season after not making the Olympic final, what makes you think that aiming to peak at Worlds is going to get you a different result than the previous year? Instead, at 31 years old, he decided he had maybe 1-2 seasons left to go for the French national record - a much more realistic goal - and there's a chance to do it in a home stadium DL meet in Paris. His entire season this year was designed around that 3:27 race.
Baromètre of legitimacy:
The general consensus in France from reading the comments in "l'équipe" is that most French people think he's legit but a significant number have their doubts about his legitimacy.
The general consensus in France from reading the comments in "l'équipe" is that most French people think he's legit but a significant number have their doubts about his legitimacy.
Will say this about Habz, seems well-liked on the circuit, not a management group known for doping, competes frequently, and the 3:27 race he ran about as close to 1500m as I’ve ever seen with perfect pacing. That Paris track is blazing fast, too. Running that fast at his age and his late emergence in the event raise suspicions. The guy has flaws and all as a 1500m runner, though. If he becomes a ridiculous 5000m runner a la Katir, honestly that will make the red flags go up for me. If he somewhat fades away as I expect I think we’ll look at that Paris race as a perfect storm for him.
He just said "there is no explanation" for his inability to qualify for the semi finals.
For the record, he was also eliminated in Paris, O G. before the finals.
It seems Habz is a better racer in non- championships compared with these special conditions.
Will he still be around for Los Angeles in 2028? I doubt it but it would be good if he were.
Of course he will be around/running in 2028, He is 32 Ran the best 1500 of his life THIS YEAR by 3 Seconds, Runners tend to stick around for the Olympics, What is he going to do quit running before 2028 to do a job he is better at? At 35 he will still have more ability as a runner, than he will of doing anything else, Unless he is like Hunter Biden and takes up painting and finds out he has Vincent Van Gogh like talent as a Painter and have all his paintings selling for 500k- Millions each, As Hunter Biden did (Lol) My guess is Habz is still better at running than any other skill he has.
Not getting into the doping allegations, but Habz is a classic time trialler. He's always looked pretty good on the DL circuit and ran a super TT in Paris. But hic champs performances are generally garbage. This isn't the biggest surprise to me. I thought he'd struggle to get past the semis
Not getting into the doping allegations, but Habz is a classic time trialler. He's always looked pretty good on the DL circuit and ran a super TT in Paris. But hic champs performances are generally garbage. This isn't the biggest surprise to me. I thought he'd struggle to get past the semis
I think you're right and I wouldn't put him in the same class as Mehdi Baala, his predecessor French 1500 record holder (3:28.98) even though he (Azzedine) ran 3:27.49 in Paris this season.
Habz: He's no dummy. Studied Sociology at Paris University. Did not complete his degree, though, as of today.
Habz: When he speaks French he is very articulate and has a very nice accent without any of the undertones so ubiquitous in the projects (low cost housing in the Paris outskirts ) with the disenfranchised youths of his ethnicity.
Reminds me of when Mo Katir got off the sauce for the Olympics and finished 8th. Already made his money, secured the nice contract with the fast times. Would feel too guilty cheating a world medal at this point. Will be back running 327 when he feels like visiting daddy pharmacist again.
The full live coverage had some shots from the practice area and ready tents, and Habz is clearly seen eating his Maurten Bicarb System just 1h30m before his race time. Way too short.
