Wow that was something!! The rivals basically beat each other and left the door open for the Americans to take the inside line. Who would have thought Ingebrigtsen wouldn’t even medal!? Kerr will be frustrated, but he so nearly lost silver with the disappointment of losing gold but ultimately PB and NR so he’s got to be happy with that.
Well what a pleasant surprise with Hocker of the USA surprising everyone and himself with the final run down the straight to claim gold in the 1500, for hombres. Feel for Ingebrigsten as he had set a tremendous pace for the entire race. He withered under the pressure applied by Kerr, who had not expected the US challenge in the final 50 straight. Great race and very enjoyable.
The first six inside 3.30, and everyone bar Komen, who I think just gave up, inside 3.32. Can I get view RSS? I wonder if Ingebrigsten will stick to the 5000m in the Olympics and WCs as he knows there are fast guys who can outsprint him on the home stretch. He will certainly run 1500 and the mile in Diamond League meetings.
He’s still only 23! He’s supremely confident in his own ability and has backed that confidence up with times, but crucially, that’s when someone else sets the pace and he can just sit in and not think about it. He gets caught up in race tactics and mind games and beats himself. It’s telling that he was the only one out of the top 9 or 10 not to get a pb tonight I think? I just don’t see a guy as young, talented and with the ego that he has giving up on 1500m!
\Wow!! Gabby Thomas had the 200m for mujeres by the scruff of the neck from start to finish. But still half a second from breaking a world record set in 1988 by Flo-Jo. And what a lovely person she seems to be and out of the Alysson Felix school in the way she conducts herself. Neita and Asher-Smith just got leg heavy in the final 30m.
Talking of 1988. a lot of WRs still stand from that time. The women's discus for example. Allman threw just short of 70m last night, still over 6 metres short of the WR. Flo-Jo's records in the 100m and 200m for mujeres still stands to this day, and Ben Johnson set a new WR in the 100m, albeit for a few hours. Makes you wonder what some athletes were doing at the time?
I know nothing about boxing but I am convinced that another British boxer has just won a fight and the judges went 3 - 2 against him?
RSS! You would be delighted to know that here in Spain we do not have a studio panel taking apart the race or field event! When in the UK I did enjoy the analysis as provided by Michael Johnson et al, but the commentator just talk along while the camera is still on the track or field event. They pulled the 3000m metre champion trackside for an interview after her triumph. Conducted in English. Just imagine BBC interviewers chatting with Femke Bol in Dutch after one of her triumphs.
Michael Johnson's analysis is fantastic. That aside, and I know there are reasons to do with rights, but I do think the BBC's coverage this year has been really quite bad, sadly.
Even allowing for us being partisan, am suspicious about some of this judging. On the law of averages we should have got one close decision.
I heard that fight on the car radio, with Steve Bunce convinced beyond any doubt that Lewis Richardson had won the final round, after being ahead after the first two. He and Jonathan Overend were stunned into silence when the winner was announced.
You think where that guy has come from to achieve what he has in the past few years. He should be proud of what he has achieved. Cast your mind back 8 years to the Rio 400m men's final and he came 8th in a super fast time as he went under 45 for the first time. That was Wade's moment who has done nothing since whereas Matthew H-S has continued his development. He is a great character.
Jamaica has finally got its first gold. Not on the track but in the Men's discus with Roje Stona!! Well done to him.
El Bakkali just gifted the race, 3000m steeplechase, by poor Ethiopian and Kenyan tactics. 7,52 is the world record and they are not going to break a runner of El Bakkali's class by taking turns at the front. He did no more than he had to and gobbled everyone up on the last lap to win in 8.07! Brave effort from the US runner.
Watched the 400m semis for mujeres tonight. Not really great times! And many of these runners seem to die in the final 50 metres. I have no idea who is in the 4 X 400 relay squad for mujeres but I would have Keely Hodgkinson in the squad. in case one of the regulars has a muscle spasm!!! I think GB are in with a good chance a medal in this race. Just need to have a big lead over the Netherlands as we know how fantastic Femke Bol is on a final lap.