Guess who is the first American 1500m runner with the "A"?

no...how could he be. he got like 6th or 7th at trials. fantastic time though.

Since he is a Nike athlete like Lauren Fleshman was in 2011 he is a possibility for the World Championship team.

Actually it was Rupp.

If the idea is to send as many athletes to Moscow as possible, then yes he is (although there is a VERY small chance of nobody else hitting the A).

If true, this would be a PR for him (old PR 3:34.35). Not much, but his second best time is 3:35.41.

confirmed via twitter

https://twitter.com/Lea_Wallace/status/352160340445892608/photo/1

Per the USATF rules--which, as well as know, are VERY subject to change/interpretation--only the top four from USATF can chase the standard(s). So, Torrence is locked into whatever he had through the end of the USATF Championships (I don't think he even had the B). By that reasoning, he has no shot at making Worlds.

As an addendum re: this issue--

The only five athletes eligible for the 1500 are Matt Centrowitz, Leo Manzano, Lopez Lomong, Matt Elliott and Will Leer. Brief recap of scenarios:

Centrowitz: locked into a spot.

Manzano: does not have either standard. If he gets the A, he is in. If he gets the B, he needs Centrowitz to get the A.

Lomong: has the B. If he gets the A, he is in. If he does not get the A, he needs Centro to get the A + Manzano to get either the A or no standard.

Elliott: does not have either standard. If he gets the A, he needs no more than two As and one B ahead of him. The scenarios in which Elliott gets the A and does NOT make the team are:

--AAA (Centro, Manzano, and Lomong all get the A)

--AAB (Centro and Manzano get the A, and Lomong does not improve)

--ABA (Centro and Lomong get the A, and Manzano gets the B)

--BAA (Manzano and Lomong get the A, and Centro does not improve)

If Elliott gets the B, he will need Centro and Lomong to get the A + Manzano to have no standard.

Leer: has the B. Only makes the team if Centro and Lomong get the A + Manzano and Elliott have no standard.

blarg wrote:

Elliott: does not have either standard. If he gets the A, he needs no more than two As and one B ahead of him.

Should read: "If he gets the A, he needs no more than two As, or one A and one B ahead of him."

Nice breakdown man. That stuff is crazy confusing to figure out.

~ wrote:

Nice breakdown man. That stuff is crazy confusing to figure out.

And having qualification rules that (almost) nobody understands does precious little to help the general appeal of the sport.

The top three will be the team.

These what-ifs are just for us track geeks.

Nice PR for Torrance.

This puts him #14 in the world this year. 18 guys now have the A.

USATF has discretion to do whatever they want and if the team was picked today it would be idiotic to leave Torrance off the team.

This is pretty sweet. Way to go David Torrence. The dude posts on /r/running and seems legitimately awesome. Always offers solid advice and is really kind to everyone.

Highballs at Sunset wrote:

USATF has discretion to do whatever they want and if the team was picked today it would be idiotic to leave Torrance off the team.

Which means that is exactly what they would do.

My brains hurt, just got a brain aneurysm thinking of the scenarios

Highballs at Sunset wrote:

USATF has discretion to do whatever they want and if the team was picked today it would be idiotic to leave Torrance off the team.

Put down the bong.

~ wrote:

Nice breakdown man. That stuff is crazy confusing to figure out.

Thats scary that you think its difficult. It's simple.