Cole Hocker gets to race and gets his gold in worlds 5,000 meters

TOKYO (AP) – American Cole Hocker came to world championships hoping for two medals.

He was only allowed to run for one, and when he won that one Sunday, it felt pretty good.

Hocker, who rose to track fame by winning the Olympic 1,500 last year with an inside charge past the two favorites, got disqualified from that event this week while running the same line in qualifying.

Back on the track for the 5,000, he took to the outside lane for the closing kick and nobody could stop him from there.

Hocker sprinted past a bunched-up group including Isaac Kimeli and 10,000 champ Jimmy Gressier to win in what has been his better race this year, even though he felt he could contend in both.

“Of course I wanted to see how I could do in two events, and I felt like one event was taken from me and I didn’t get to show my potential,” said Hocker, whose winning time was 12 minutes, 58.30 seconds. “Not getting to do that in the 1,500 really hurt. But then I got to do that in the 5,000, and I knew that was the only way I was going to redeem myself.”

Much like he did in Paris, Hocker threw his hands out to his side with a look of amazement as he crossed the line. Then, he pulled his ponytail out and flexed his biceps for the crowd. This was America’s only medal at 1,500 meters or longer of these worlds.

Last year, the U.S. won five at those distances, including Hocker’s surprise and two bronze medals from Grant Fisher, who finished eighth in Sunday’s race.

The 24-year-old Hocker burst into the world’s view when he slid past favorites Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr in that epic 1,500 meters last year – a race nobody expected him to be part of.

Now, nobody overlooks him.

“I was extremely motivated,” Hocker said. “But you come to these championships and sheer willpower won’t get you the medal. You have to have the fitness, you have to execute and you have to have the willpower. I have what it takes, and I can’t believe it, but I can believe it.”