A Grip on Sports: The Olympic’s 1,500-meter race highlights many human failings and triumphs, all within less than 4 minutes

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Gold’s allure has corrupted people since ancient times. So have petty rivalries. When they run together on the Olympic stage? Well, a spectacular race occurs, as happened in Tuesday’s 1,500-meter showdown.

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• As Olympic races grow longer, records are stifled by strategy. There has been no greater example of this than the 1,500. It’s not a sprint. It’s not a distance race, no matter how much it seems like it to the person sitting at home. It’s in the middle. And winning often comes down to how one runs, not how fast.

The point was made again Tuesday. A race for the ages. Quite possibly the greatest 1,500 ever run in the Games – and not just because an Olympic record was set. Or, because for only the second time in our lifetime, an American won.

Cole Hocker’s victory came in a race had just about every element of humanity the sport puts on display.

Hatred. Courage. Speed. Luck. Joy.

The hatred? Simple. Palatable. Evident. Defending Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen is hated by everyone who steps on the track with him. Oh, he’s respected, sure. You have to respect someone who set an Olympic record while winning in the pandemic-induced quiet of the Toyko Games three years ago. But his over-the-top, made-for-TV personality has alienated his competitors, and fueled a rivalry with Great Britain’s Josh Kerr.

Both were in Tuesday’s final. As were three Americans, with Yared Nuguse and Hobbs Kessler part of the Renaissance that is American middle-distance running these days. Add in Tokyo silver medalist Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya and the field was dangerous.

But not as dangerous as Ingebrigtsen’s hubris. Or his fear, if that’s how you want to describe his decision to sprint through the first 800 meters. Was he afraid he wasn’t fast enough to hold off Kerr and the rest of the field this time? Whatever his motivation, the strategy didn’t work. It did, however, lay the foundation for a spectacular final 200 meters.

The last time Hocker found himself in this position – last year’s world championships – he didn’t, by his admission, have enough courage to win. Would the Oregon graduate have it in the most-important race of his career?

“I told myself: Just don’t be soft,” he said. “You got to go with it. You’re going to regret this for the rest of your life if you don’t go with it.”

He hung around. Moved up. And as the race entered the final straight, he was on the rail, with just Ingebrigtsen and Kerr in front of him. Everyone in the packed Stade de France knew Hocker had the speed to win, but, stuck between the infield and Ingebrigtsen’s left shoulder, could he use it?

And that’s where luck came in. That and Ingebrigtsen’s preoccupation with Kerr.

The Norwegian looked right. Saw Kerr coming. Started to move out to make the Scot run a bit wider. And opened a door.

Hocker accelerated. Ran through the gap. And didn’t stop.

Kerr might not have even seen him. He slipped past Ingebrigtsen, but before he could savor that small triumph, realized Hocker was going another speed. One he couldn’t match.

And Ingebrigtsen? After Kerr passed him it was almost as if he deployed a parachute. He faded, barely holding off a fast-finishing Kessler for fourth.

Goose, as Nuguse is known, avoided the Norwegian and nearly caught Kerr, missing the silver by a sliver of his chest.

By then Hocker had already finished, his hands raised into the air, the joy evident on his face. He not only joined Matt Centrowitz Jr., who won eight years ago in Rio de Janeiro, as the only Americans in the last century to win gold, he set an Olympic mark of 3 minutes, 27.65 seconds, only 1.65 seconds more than Hicham El Guerrouj’s 26-year-old world record.

The gap between those two records has always been wide. The last man to set the world record at the Olympics was New Zealand’s Herb Elliott. In 1960. Before the Games became a worldwide phenomenon. Since, the goal has always been winning, the time a secondary concern.

The goals were the same Tuesday, though it’s easy to believe Ingebrigtsen’s decision to set a blazing pace was at least partially motivated by rivalry and pride. Is there anything more human? And anything more Olympian than Hocker’s expression of rapture as he crossed the line? Mix it all together and we were treated with just about everything humanly possible in an Olympic 1,500 meters.

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WSU: Being the starting quarterback for a college football team isn’t just about physical talents. The position demands leadership, something Greg Woods covers in his look at Tuesday’s practice in Pullman. … It may be just the beginning of football season but basketball took center stage yesterday with the WCC’s release of the conference schedule. The highlight in these parts, of course, are the matchups between the Cougars and Gonzaga. Greg Woods covers the men’s schedule for Washington State while Greg Lee has the women’s for both schools. … Steve Gleason has another supporter. Jets’ punter Thomas Morstead is raising money for the Team Gleason foundation. … Elsewhere in the (new and old) Pac-12, the Mountain West and the nation, the future of the rivalry game between Notre Dame and USC may be in the hands of the CFP committee. At least that’s how Jon Wilner sees it in the Mercury News. … Stewart Mandel answers a handful of college football questions. … An Oregon State quarterback wants inflict pain on the field and, when his playing days are over, learn how to alleviate it off. … The Oregonian’s number series is sort of winding down, with No. 25 today for Oregon and Oregon State. … One of the players who followed Jedd Fisch from Arizona was in the spotlight yesterday at Washington. … Remember, recruiting never stops. The Huskies have proof. … Oregon’s practice included a few players who have been sitting out due to injuries. … A Colorado player is taking advantage of his opportunity. … Brent Kuithe is finally healthy for the Utes. The tight end is ready to make a difference again. … There is an art to rushing the passer. UCLA is working on it. … Arizona State starts its football workouts in the Arizona mountains. Shades of Mike Leach and Lewiston. … A key Wildcat player is working hard to return from injury. … In the Mountain West, we can pass along this look at Colorado State from the perspective in Corvallis. … Who wouldn’t want to punt for Wyoming? You’re more than a mile up for home games. … One Boise State player is quietly standing out. And its athletic director has a new contract. … San Diego State will hold its first scrimmage Saturday. … New Mexico’s offense, by the numbers. … When the temperature hits Hades-hot in Vegas, UNLV heads indoors. … After an injury last season, an Air Force player is back on the field. … In basketball news, Oregon State is all in with its WCC schedule. … The NCAA is moving closer to paying women’s programs as it does the men, with guaranteed shares for NCAA tournament participants. … Oregon State’s men’s soccer team is ranked fourth in the preseason, the highest ever.

Gonzaga: We start with the conference schedule, which Theo Lawson covers in this story. Then we move on to a game with a Big 12 opponent that will actually be held in the Kennel. Jim Meehan has a story on a two-game series the Zags will play with Arizona State, starting with the Spokane game Nov. 10. … The women’s WCC schedule is the purview of Greg Lee, whose story we also linked in the WSU section. … The Zags’ Grace Lee improved her score on the second day of the U.S. Women’s Amateur at Tulsa’s Southern Hills’ Country Club. But her 78 was not enough to make the cut to the match-play portion of the championship.

EWU: In an effort to improve its return game, Eastern is focusing on being more physical. Dan Thompson tells us how the Eagle coaches hope to accomplish that during preseason camp. … Elsewhere in the Big Sky, it’s time to look at Montana’s safeties. … Northern Colorado’s special teams feature a special player. … Weber State is thrilled by being ranked. … A dozen defensive linemen return for Cal Poly.

Idaho: The Vandals have named an interim volleyball coach.

Indians: Charlie Condon was the nation’s best power hitter this past year at Georgia. Winner of multiple awards. The third pick in the MLB draft. And now he’s a Spokane Indian. He made his debut against Tri-City last night in Pasco and Dave Nichols was there. Neither Condon nor anyone else had a great offensive game as the Dust Devils picked up a 2-0 victory. … Elsewhere in the Northwest League, Vancouver walloped – that seems to be the right word – Eugene 19-2 in Canada. … Hillsboro handled visiting Everett 7-3.

Velocity: Spokane is in Chattanooga for a key USL League One match with the Red Wolves tonight. We pass along a preview.

Olympics: We spent a lot of time, and energy, on the 1,500 race above. But we cannot miss passing on the coverage of Gabby Thomas’ win in the women’s 200 meters. She dominated. … The U.S. also won silver in the women’s hammer. … The U.S. Women’s National Team outlasted Germany 1-0 on Tuesday and earned its way into soccer’s gold-medal match Saturday. Will the U.S. run out of gas? … Are these the Nerd Games? … Remember all the outcry concerning women’s boxing? We may get more if Imane Khelif wins a gold. … The U.S.’ most-dominant wrestler just happens to be a 20-year-old Californian.

Mariners: If any game this week seemed to favor the M’s, it was last night, as Detroit starter Keider Montero came in with an ERA above six. No matter. Seattle seems to have reverted to mid-season form, as in it can’t score, losing 4-2. One of the runs scored because Detroit let a two-out fly ball in the ninth just drop between two outfielders. Heck, even with the woeful Tigers trying to help, Seattle couldn’t score enough to win. … Tonight’s matchup features a much better pitcher for the Tigers. … We found this Athletic story on the dearth of switch hitters interesting. And highlights how stupid some folks who purport to teach youth baseball can be. Let kids fail at times. It will make them better in the long run. … Speaking of kids, there was a fun event at T-Mobile yesterday, hosted by Mitch Haniger.

Seahawks: The Hawks signed a successful center yesterday. Any move that can help the offensive line is welcome, right? … What have we learned about Ryan Grubb’s offense in training camp?

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• If you have been excited about bundling a bunch of important sports channels together soon, temper your joy. A merger of sorts between the distribution arms of ESPN, Fox Sports and TNT Sports is under federal scrutiny. Just thought we would share that as we exit the stage this morning. Until later …