rupp-certified saladbar wrote:
Csls wrote:What does slowest since 1992 mean? Is that supposed to mean something? I think Lagat's winning time at the US Champs 5000m was the slowest since 1882. Point?
Slowest since 1882? Really? Does that mean that he was faster the Roland Harold Forsythe's 19:42 in 1883?
Assuming that you mean 1982, yes, it means that I don't think winning a sit-and-kick 5000 in 14:54 proves that Lagat is currently the best 5000 meter runner in the US.
Just as Rupp NEVER WAS, IS NOT, AND NEVER WILL BE the world's second-best 10,000 meter runner.
He would have been OBLITERATED by Lagat if BL had been in the London 2012 10,000. And he would have been OBLITERATED if (a) the best in the world actually ran the Olympic 10,000 or (b) the pace hadn't been the SLOWEST SINCE 1992.
I suppose we'll see soon enough how Rupp stacks up.
I was one who predicted with great confidence that Rupp would not be top 5 at the OG. He proved me to be badly mistaken. Kudos to him.
Obviously he does not need to do anything more to validate his excellence. Silver in OG is extraordinary. He was 2nd best on the only day that matters. Again kudos to him.
Now, if someone wants to say it was a 'fluke' if he cannot again break top 5 at WC or OG so be it. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.