The 1500m Men’s Sprint was a sight to behold, especially when Cole Hocker swept in, surpassing everyone’s expectations, and won the gold. With the joyous celebrations set aside, several commented on his calm and collected demeanor as all it took him was one dramatic turn on track to become the new leader. It turns out that this has been his strategy throughout his career.
In a candid chat with Brittany Morgan, Hocker’s coach, Ben Thomas, sat down to talk about his protege and how the race’s outcome was something he might have foreseen. Following his coach to Virginia after turning pro, Hocker showcased the potential of becoming a champion.
But it wasn’t until the Paris Olympics that track enthusiasts saw just how skilled he could be with his strategy. In an amusing turn of events, many didn’t even think of him finishing the race first since all eyes were on the reigning Olympic champion – Jakob Ingebrigtsen, and the reigning world champion – Josh Kerr.
In a heated battle between Ingebrigtsen and Kerr, Hocker saw the opportunity at one of the final corners of the race and took it. He kicked up his pace and overtook both the champions, leaving the audience’s jaws on the floor.
Coach Thomas reflected on this moment and confessed that while he knew his mentee had prepared for the race as well as he could, he didn’t expect such a dramatic finish to the race.
But when Morgan asked how Hocker’s personality affected his performance, particularly his stint at Paris, Thomas admitted that he could put two and two together.
The 23-year-old may have held a lot of pressure and expectations but maintained his composure, which rewarded him with an ideal mindset during sprints.
“He is cool, calm and collected. You know, every time he does something big, I send these, these GIFs of Clint Eastwood and his being the Cool Cat in his westerns. That’s kind of his vibe.”
Just like the Hollywood icon who stayed super composed while donning a cowboy hat and boots and fired his pistol without flinching, Hocker’s personality reminded his coach of his laser-like focus.
“No matter how big the moment gets, he tends to be the coolest customer on the line, at least outwardly.”
The bond between the coach and the sprinter was so strong that they even shared the same mindset moments before the race. As Thomas wrapped up the interview, he shared, telling Hocker how he wasn’t nervous about the performance since he felt pretty satisfied with their preparation.
And like a champion, the 23-year-old declared how all that was left to do was to have fun and shock the world – a premonition turned into a positive reality.
