THE COMPETITORS in the men’s 5000 seemed quite content to let Cole Hocker author the script for the first 4300m of the race, so it’s hard to be shocked that he got the ending he had been planning all along.
The Olympic 1500 champ, coming back from a 3rd in his specialty, immediately went to the lead with training partner Cooper Teare close behind. Fans might have wondered, understandably, if Hocker was rabbiting to help Teare out.
The slow pace put the lie to that idea. The first 1600 took 4:27.66, the second 4:26.85. Hocker’s tempo wasn’t shaking anybody loose. Instead, he was licking his chops for a big-kick finish. Curiously, everyone behind him seemed OK with the idea.
Any of the 3 who had made the 10,000 team — Nico Young, Grant Fisher and Graham Blanks — might have had the strength to lead at a faster clip, but just 3 days after their 25-lapper, they seemed inclined to preserve whatever speed they had left in their legs.
The rest of the field? Well, to borrow what is often said about 1500 runners, everyone thinks they have a kick. They bunched up behind Hocker as the anticipation brewed: who would go?
Finally, with 500 left Young took off. He led for the next 400m, covered in 53.49, with Fisher and Teare close behind. Hocker had dropped back to 7th. Then with 200 to go the man with an Olympic gold in his collection started to move back into position to strike.
With 100 left, the real racing began. Young, in lane 1 snug against the rail, ran wide. Hocker, who couldn’t have scripted it any better, drove through the opening and laid down a 12.62 final 100 to snatch the win in 13:26.45.
Fisher couldn’t match Hocker’s top-end speed, but produced a 13.14 closer to get another 2nd, this one in 13:26.75. Young held on for 3rd in 13:27.05. Fast-finishing Drew Hunter claimed 4th (13:27.16) and Teare took 5th (13:27.56).
“We weren’t setting any records today,” said Hocker, whose final 400 was 51.75. “I was fine with that… That’s exactly the way I wanted the race to go. It was really just keep my tempo until someone went around me and then stick on them like glue. Everyone got antsy and took off a little bit before 400 to go. I just kept my rhythm, stayed attached and got back into it. I got pretty comfortable on the rail and that paid off again.” The finish marked a significant…
CLICK HERE to Read the Full Original Article at Track & Field News…