With Bekele and Tadesse not running, I'd say the odds of Ritz pulling it off were quite high. Did the U.S. just miss a major opportuntiy here? What sayeth the flock?
With Bekele and Tadesse not running, I'd say the odds of Ritz pulling it off were quite high. Did the U.S. just miss a major opportuntiy here? What sayeth the flock?
Odds high like 1% instead of .01%?
A 12:56 guy has a higher percentage than 1%. Probably 10-20%. This was the best year for sure in the last decade.
Yeah, it's not like he medaled in the junior race or recently in the World Half Championships or anything. Get back to me when he's done that. Oh, wait...
Since there is talk of scrapping the World CC event, or perhaps making it a quadrennial affair, I'd say this was about as good a shot the US has had or possibly will have for awhile. Someone get Ritz on a plane. Is it too late?
Yeah, since Ritz has finished third behind these two guys so many times.
We weren't talking about crappy bronze medals...we're talking about WINS. Different.
peternowak wrote:
We weren\\\'t talking about crappy bronze medals...we\\\'re talking about WINS. Different.
exactly, and world cross has a MUCH stronger field than \\\"world\\\" 1/2 marathon.
Ritz had ZERO shot of winning.
haha, YO (super serial) wrote:
A 12:56 guy has a higher percentage than 1%. Probably 10-20%. This was the best year for sure in the last decade.
Do you even realize how many african 12:56 guys there are?
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A 12:56 guy has a higher percentage than 1%. Probably 10-20%. This was the best year for sure in the last decade.[/quote]
Do you even realize how many african 12:56 guys there are?[/quote]
And, they are even better at xc than the track, he had less than zero.
Is that why Teg doesn't runn CC? That, and because it's not 10K?
track and field news linked this story about the uncertain future of the world xc champs, with former silver medalist Tim Hutchings blaming flat, fast courses, in part, as aiding African runners, and he even mentions Amman. Yet, African runners train primarily on hilly terrain and last year's champs in Amman had grueling hills, so I'm not sure whether he knows a damn thing. All I know is that it should be a good made for tv event, held every year, with xc at the summer games, and with Americans and Europeans sending full teams. If you're afraid to compete in xc, how are you going to make any noise on the track later in the year?
jjjjjjjjjjj wrote:
track and field news linked this story about the uncertain future of the world xc champs, with former silver medalist Tim Hutchings blaming flat, fast courses, in part, as aiding African runners, and he even mentions Amman. Yet, African runners train primarily on hilly terrain and last year's champs in Amman had grueling hills, so I'm not sure whether he knows a damn thing. All I know is that it should be a good made for tv event, held every year, with xc at the summer games, and with Americans and Europeans sending full teams. If you're afraid to compete in xc, how are you going to make any noise on the track later in the year?
http://www.morethanthegames.co.uk/athletics/2610105-world-cross-doomed-says-former-silver-medallist-hutchings
So Hutchings doesn't know a thing, but you do? Based on what criteria does your opinion outweigh his? I'm not talking about being the WXC medalist that he was, rather that something you have done/or know makes your opinion more worthwhile to claim that he doesn't know anything but that you do?!
Dingler wrote:
Do you even realize how many african 12:56 guys there are?
1.) Do you realize that probably every Kenyan, Ethiopian, and many other Africans thought they would finish ahead of the entire American Junior squad- that year Ritz won BRONZE at World Junior X-Country Championships!
2.) Do you realize that when Ritz placed 6th at Worlds 10000m that NOT many TRULY expected him to place that high, especially after switching coaches so close to Worlds.
3.) Do you realize that when Ritz towed the line at the World 1/2 Marathon Championships that MANY of the Africans had a faster personal best. Again he walked away with a Bronze!
A season later and minus Kenenisa and Tadese (LAST/ONLY WINNERS OVER PAST 8 years)..I would say Dathan definitely had a shot of winning. He wouldn't have been a favorite but he definitely had a LEGITIMATE shot!
I mean right now the favorite is a guy who has done jack shit on the international level. Why wouldn't Ritz have a chance? 12:56 for Ritz is the 117th best performance EVER there aren't many Kenyans or others running World cross ahead of that right now. Sure it won't happen but why would you doubt him if he did?
Ritz is even more of a beast in cross than on the track or roads. He's run 8:11, 12:56, and I suspect has been in sub-27:00 shape before. Can run very well plumb up to the marathon. Was a bronze medalist in the junior race and the half marathon championships. If anyone has the tools to do it, it would be him.
And the question is if this is the best shot in a really long time for a U.S. male to win. To that I say no doubt, this was the best shot the U.S. has had since Virgin.