If Hoka Naz Elite’s Olin Hacker keeps racing this well, he no longer will be able to wear the underdog tag.
Mixing it up against the world’s best middle distance runners — Josh Kerr, Yared Nuguse and Selemon Barega — Hacker, 26, finished fifth in a season-best 7:45.40 in the World Indoor 3,000 meters.
Kerr took control late and, though challenged by Nuguse (7:34.59) down the stretch, had too much. Barega, the defending champ, finished third in 7:43.64. Nuguse perhaps waited too long and got caught in a jumble of elbows and bodies in the frenetic final two laps, and by the time he found running room, it was too late to catch Kerr, the world indoor two-mile recordholder.
As for Hacker, it was a gustsy run. Showing he is not afraid to compete and be an aggressor, Hacker and Nuguse immediately went to the lead after the gun. At one point early on, as the pace settled, Hacker found himself well behind. But he patiently bided his time and made micro-moves, surges that at one point put him in fifth, sandwiched between Nuguse and Kerr.
When the laps dwindled to three and then two, Hacker swung wide into lane three to challenge the leaders. At the bell, though, he was losing ground but rallied in the stretch to finish strong.
Such a performance by Hacker bodes well for his middle-distance chances in a competitive American outdoors season.
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