We are not sending our best team for the 800m. Don't forget Sage Hurta-Klecker.

LOL I think getting thrown off the track prob precluded her from figuring out "how to get it done". You can't just pull yourself up by your bootstraps at that point. She's no blood doped Lasse Viren or something.

Lame post. She would have needed to be in like 1:55 shape to still make the team after Mu fell. Still managed to overtake Rogers and Grace, who where much less affected, so definitely her best trials performance to date. She couldn't have done any better under the given circumstances, so I don't undestand how you came up with this "deserving" stuff

People are either happy or disappointed. Its why they race. They don't ask fro people to send in their best times, and then dish out medals.

How do you think Centro won?

Why did Jakob lose?

Because racing is not time trialing. Because racing is more thrilling, and way harder.

Yea, I'd even expect Rogers or Sage to be more of a contender in that situation vs Wilson given their track records and strength. Kate Grace seems like she was trending up too but not sure how she could handle the rounds given her last year or two.

One year is unlucky, 4 years in a row is a pattern.

The goal is not to send a team, the goal is to send the best team. I think it's reasonable to ask if our current system has a good track record (heh. "Track" record) of doing that.

UK has a wild card. Imagine late 2023 form Kerr was tripped kicking in the final 200 and didn’t make it if they had the US system

Brenda Martinez and Molly Ludlow called from 2016 and asked for a re-run.

The Australian athletes not favored by Nic Bideau would like to just have the top 3 at trials go.

Yeah I do think the US system is pretty ruthless (and you kind of shoot yourselves in the foot). The UK we don’t just base in on the British champs. First 2 go through then other factors come in to play for the third spot.

In the UK system, Mu would probably have elected not to run the 800 at all. She would've competed at the 400 or 1500 after getting assurances her spot was secure. Given her lack of training time, it'd probably be the 400 if Kersee and her felt they could trust her hamstrings.

But in general, it's easy to harshly blame the US Trials system. In reality, if Athing was in close to 100% shape, she would have likely placed herself in a less vulnerable position. It was Schofield getting the lead at 27.50. I'd like to think healthy Mu goes a few tenths faster to 27.2 and can control a faster race from there with a 56-high/57-low first lap. She's much less likely to get tangled or have much traffic in that scenario. Her problems really stem from coming into the Trials on minimal preparation.

A better solution is perhaps what some countries do: first 2 from trials and 3rd spot up to selectors.

No. There are too many good american athletes across all running events. And there will be much more complaining on the 3rd spot if we change the system.

I think everyone knew the rules before starting the race.

Top 3 advance, the rest stay at home.

I would rather settle it on the track than back room deals. Track is a dirty enough sport, last thing we need is Nike athletes getting an auto bid and freezing out lesser brands, or sentimental favorites past their prime vs the up and coming athlete.

Let them run. Let them compete for it.

She was 100% in 2021 when she did the EXACT same thing and took out Nia Akins. Mu does not know how to race the 800 and has zero spatial awareness. Besides blindly cutting in, how many instances has she almost lost a race because she has given up the rail in the home stretch? She a naive tactician with unbridled talent.

Akins is fast. Look at her most recent meets and golds. Akins would have been there regardless of Mu.

I was very happy with the outcome, considering what it could have been given Mu's fall. The last thing I wanted was another Raevyn Rogers rerun. She is the worst of American middle distance running, an athlete who always sits at the back and counts on everything collapsing ahead of her.

I'm an American but have always viewed Rogers' Tokyo bronze as one of the most sickening and undeserved Olympic medals of all time. She risked nothing and should have departed with nothing. She stole it from Jemma Reekie who was the only competitor in that race who actually attempted to defeat Athing Mu.

I despise stretch runners in every sport. It lends toward low percentage and underachieving. For every outlier example where it pays off there are dozens of examples where it has no chance at highest level. Americans need to steer away from that middle school tendency. Run like Ethiopians and medals will follow.

Juliette Whittaker is a delight. She has a square build, just like her 400 sister. No medal opportunity but I'm thrilled she made the team. She is a stalker and has a huge tendency to pull out victories when in contention late.

Akins is in a fight for bronze. She is a delight also. Mu's absence benefits Akins and Sekgodiso. Also Reekie. There also might be others who can enter that 1:56 territory.

I'm not expecting much from Allie Wilson. Late career overachievers aren't my idea of ideal Olympic berths. She will show up and get outrun, just like world indoors a few months ago.

Akins will understand that international 800 heats are now very fast. You need to be prepared to go sub 2 minutes in the first round and sub 1:59 if not lower in the semifinals. Whittaker and Wilson are candidates to get ousted early if not ready for that.

Prior standards mean nothing. The 800 is an evolving event. Not too many below 1:57 but the world is now flooded with sub 2 minute types. I emphasized that months ago. Instead of 30 women dipping under 2 minutes worldwide it's now 60ish. In fact, we're already at 60 right now, still more than a month removed from Paris.

Agreed. I don't want an organization, run by Max Siegel and bankrolled by Nike picking the athletes. I don't see how that would lessen any controversy.

"Best" will always be subjective.