Who is Cole Hocker's coach and where does he train? Everything to know about the 1500m Olympic champion's mentor

By Soumik Bhattacharya

Modified Aug 07, 2024 18:20 GMT

1500m gold medallist Cole Hocker is trained by Ben Thomas, the current track and field head coach of Virginia Tech. The 23-year-old Hocker currently resides and trains in Blacksburg under Thomas.

The coach has been a constant source of support for Hocker since his University days, and continues to provide him with valuable guidance. Even during the Men's 1500m event finals at the Paris Olympics 2024, where Hocker defeated the likes of Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrstein to win gold, Thomas was cheering on his apprentice from the stands of Stade de France.

Thomas was born in the city of Lynchburg, Virginia on May 4, 1969. He attended EC Glass School, following which he was admitted to Virginia Tech University where he completed a bachelor's degree in English in 1992. It was during this time that Thomas entered the world of coaching, with his first assignment as the assistant head coach of his EC Glass High School. He did this job for two years, between 1992 and 1994.

Since then, Thomas has gathered tons of experience while coaching the University of Oregon and the University of Georgia track and field teams. He is now a well-known name in the collegiate track and field circuit.

Thomas identified the immense potential of Cole Hocker during the latter's run in a national meet for his school. Representing the Cathedral High School, Hocker produced a stunning performance in a 1600m medley relay event, registering a run time of 4:05.01.

This caught the attention of the then-University of Oregon assistant coach, Ben Thomas. He was quick to take Hocker under his wing and recruit him for the University of Oregon. Thomas was also the major reason for Hocker's shift to Blacksburg.

Thomas had also been a mentor to the 2017 Pan American Junior Championships bronze medalist, Cooper Teare.

Ben Thomas: All you need to know about the coaching experience and achievements of Cole Hocker's coach

Thomas has been very successful in his coaching career so far. With an experience of more than two decades, Thomas has guided his teams to major accolades. He has also won many individual awards.

Hocker was declared the USATFCCAA Regional Coach of the Year a staggering 10 times. He has been the National Coach of the Year three times in his career so far. He also helped the Virginia Tech Hokies Track and Field team to win 12 Atlantic Coast Conference titles.