by Stuart Weir
Middle distance
The two middle distant races looked the highlights of the 2024 Weltklasse – I accept, that Mondo may regard his 100 meter run in that light!
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the greatest male 1500m runner at the moment? “Not sure”, said the mirror. The Paris Olympics was going to settle the issue once and for all – Josh Kerr, the reigning world champion, v Jakob Ingebrigtsen reigning Olympic champion but Cole Hocker had not been told that he was meant to step aside and let the two favorites slug it out. Kerr beat Ingebrigtsen but Hocker ruined everything by passing Kerr and Ingebrigtsen – what was even worse he expected the gold medal!
Come Zurich and we had the rematch. Could Hocker prove that his Paris victory was no fluke or could Kerr and Ingebrigtsen put him in his place? Yes, again there was a problem. This time, as World Athletics website put it: “It was Yared Nuguse’s turn to join the club”. The result was:
1 Yared Nuguse 3:29.21
2 Jakob Ingebrigtsen 3:29.52
3 Cole Hocker 3:30.46
4 Niels Laros 3:31.23
5 Josh Kerr 3:31.46
What does that tell us? That there are at least 5 outstanding middle-distance runners and that there is very little to choose between them. Nuguse said afterward: “This race was so highly anticipated, and I knew it would be quick. Everyone could have won this race. From the beginning, I just tried like not to make any wrong move and to be where I wanted to be – and then you need to be ready for the end. The Olympics were like a huge millstone, and when you got over it, it just felt like fun racing. It was so much more fun running with these guys today. Getting the medal at the Olympics gave me more self-confidence in who I am and now I know what I can achieve. I mean, nothing has really changed but how I feel about myself has changed. So definitely it is a positive thing”.
Jakob commented: “My race was better than I would have expected yesterday. I still have not recovered. It was worth it to come here and race. But one more week of recovery would have been better for me and given me more stimulation. Everything is about experience. My gut feeling is always right. I think Brussels will be fun. I will only race the 1500 because there would only be one hour between the 5k and the 1500”.
Cole Hocker, in third place, said: “Tactically, it is always more difficult when you have a pacer, but it makes it interesting nevertheless. In races like this, with such a field, it makes you appreciate even more when you win or do well”.
With Keely Hodgkinson having ended her season with an injury, there would be no Olympic rematch. That Athing Mu chooses not to race much is a major disappointment. It also meant that Mary Moraa was able control the race and won comfortably:
1 Mary Moraa 1:57.08
2 Georgia Bell 1:57.94
3 Addison Wiley 1:58.16
4 Jemma Reekie 1:58.49
Moraa said afterwards: “My plan is to finish my season in a good way, but I leave everything to God. After Paris, the training has not been consistent because every two or three days you are running another event so it’s hard. The training that I did over the last 7 months is keeping me going. I am training together with my sister and with the same coach so I am very proud that she won a gold medal at the World U20 Championships. I have been mentoring her so she can follow my footsteps. My dream is to be able to be race with her on the big stage”.
