In isolation, I would completely understand if he chose to run for the US based purely on his ties to the country.
My big issue with this is that he’s been saying in interviews for years “my dream since I’ve been a kid is to run at the Olympics for Team GB”.
If he feels such a lack of connection to the UK that he’d switch allegiance, he shouldn’t have led the British fans on for years. That’s what makes it sting.
I empathize with binational/bicultural people. They must face tremendous pressure to choose a side. I think they should be allowed to embrace both sides of their roots.
This reminds me of when Leo Manzano caught flak for waving the Mexican flag. He didn’t mean it as a diss of the USA. He was just celebrating his Mexican heritage. He’s a Mexican-American who loves both the USA and Mexico.
FWIW, Hicks’ World Athletics profile still says he represents Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Don't know the details concerning Charles Hick but I do know once you declare citizenship and compete under that country, it takes TIME switch even for dual citizenship.
Nice. Smashes the previous UK record of Emile Cairess, which as 45:57. It equals Ian Stewart's unratified record (which was a World Record at the time) from 1977.
It's also well under sub-60 HM pace. Hopefully he's coming into form.
I've just seen that he's registered as an American on the live tracking website. Anyone know if that's a mistake or has he switched allegiance?
I don't personally have any inside info, but Chris Nickinson of Runnerspace posted the following comment under the USATF Instagram post about Hicks' and Roe's win:
"LDR rules don't have the same rules for championship eligibility as track requirements. Dual citizens can compete for title on the road even if they compete internationally for someone else."
Both USATF and Puma have posted that Alex Maier (2nd place) got the American 10 mile record, so it seems like Hicks is eligible to win a US road title with his dual citizenship, but not to set an American road record.
Don't know the details concerning Charles Hick but I do know once you declare citizenship and compete under that country, it takes TIME switch even for dual citizenship.
Three years if it's contested, one year if both federations agree. Hicks hasn't been trying to make British teams for the last year, which was a little odd, but also, he's working under Schumacher who doesn't like his athletes to race anyway so I wrote it off as no big deal.
Nice. Smashes the previous UK record of Emile Cairess, which as 45:57. It equals Ian Stewart's unratified record (which was a World Record at the time) from 1977.
It's also well under sub-60 HM pace. Hopefully he's coming into form.
I've just seen that he's registered as an American on the live tracking website. Anyone know if that's a mistake or has he switched allegiance?
I don't personally have any inside info, but Chris Nickinson of Runnerspace posted the following comment under the USATF Instagram post about Hicks' and Roe's win:
"LDR rules don't have the same rules for championship eligibility as track requirements. Dual citizens can compete for title on the road even if they compete internationally for someone else."
Both USATF and Puma have posted that Alex Maier (2nd place) got the American 10 mile record, so it seems like Hicks is eligible to win a US road title with his dual citizenship, but not to set an American road record.
If that's the case, then it's a sh1tty move from Hicks. Fine to compete in the race, but he shouldn't be taking a national championship win from someone who actually represents the US.
Hicks hasn't been trying to make British teams for the last year,
I don’t think it’s accurate to say he’s not been trying to make British teams for the past year.
He was entered in the UK Olympic trials for 5K and only scratched a few days before the event. He also competed in the Night of 10,000m PBs which doubles up as the UK Olympic trials for 10k.
If you’re talking about purely post-Olympic teams, they wouldn’t make sense when he’s moving to the roads.
Surely you can't just switch back and forth depending on the race? I don't follow him at all, but what's his background? Was he born & raised in the UK but one of his prent is American? I know he came to college here. Aren't there also issues with the UK having really strict/unfair selection rules for their national teams (e.g., not sending athletes to international competitions even if they qualified)? Perhaps that has something to do with this.
my understanding is that his father is from Jacksonville. They lived in the UK because he was doing business over there. The family moved back to Jacksonville when Charles was 12.
He is very American. Though I'm sure he loves his UK roots as well.
He is as American as apple pie. Both parents are American from wealthy families. Mom went to Stanford. He happened to be born in the UK when his dad was working in finance in London. Moved back to Jacksonville when he was 12.
I reached out to Matt Sonnenfeldt who works for Flynn Sports, the agency that represents Charles Hicks.
He told me that Hicks is in the process of switching allegiance from GB to the US. Since Hicks has already represented GB internationally, he has to wait three years from his last competition. That would be the Euro U23 champs in July 2023. So they're hoping he will be eligible to run for the US in July 2026.
Since Hicks is already a US citizen and USATF member, he is eligible to compete in the USATF 10-mile championships and earn prize money. But he's not yet eligible to represent the US, so his mark doesn't count as an American record.
Also from the womens race - great result for Roe. Also nice result for Emma Grace Hurley. She is having a great season on the roads. Both beat O"Keefe.
He told me that Hicks is in the process of switching allegiance from GB to the US.
This is a massive slap in the face to the British fans that have been supporting him throughout his career
He’s been asked for years whether he’s considered switching to the US, and he’s always reassured the fans that he considers himself British and his dream he always been to represent Team GB at the Olympics. He’s been setting age-group records and was meant to be the future of British distance running.
He’s just quietly started representing the US without even mentioning the switch to his fans. It’s like he’s hoping we won’t even remember his former allegiance to the UK.
He told me that Hicks is in the process of switching allegiance from GB to the US.
This is a massive slap in the face to the British fans that have been supporting him throughout his career
He’s been asked for years whether he’s considered switching to the US, and he’s always reassured the fans that he considers himself British and his dream he always been to represent Team GB at the Olympics. He’s been setting age-group records and was meant to be the future of British distance running.
He’s just quietly started representing the US without even mentioning the switch to his fans. It’s like he’s hoping we won’t even remember his former allegiance to the UK.
As an American who wishes Mondo represented the USA, I feel for you.
But slap in the face is a bit harsh. Childhood dreams/goals change as people get older. I wouldn’t want to be held accountable for goals and things I said as a teenager.
This isn’t on the level of LeBron James spurning Cleveland to go to Miami. That was straight up betrayal.
One thing I agree with you about is Hicks should at least release a public statement about his switch.
I believe the shoes help 1 minute in a 10 mile road race. Anyone else with an opinion on how much in general it helps. Minute per 10 miles or 6 seconds per mile?
He told me that Hicks is in the process of switching allegiance from GB to the US.
This is a massive slap in the face to the British fans that have been supporting him throughout his career
He’s been asked for years whether he’s considered switching to the US, and he’s always reassured the fans that he considers himself British and his dream he always been to represent Team GB at the Olympics. He’s been setting age-group records and was meant to be the future of British distance running.
He’s just quietly started representing the US without even mentioning the switch to his fans. It’s like he’s hoping we won’t even remember his former allegiance to the UK.
Didn't I recently read an article about Athetics GB requesting athletes to pay to represent the country in at least some international competitions? One might think it reasonable to reconsider an allegiance in that circumstance.
Tbh, fair enough if he has switched. the US is his home and he's every bit a product of the US development system. It's a shame for the UK
In isolation, I would completely understand if he chose to run for the US based purely on his ties to the country.
My big issue with this is that he’s been saying in interviews for years “my dream since I’ve been a kid is to run at the Olympics for Team GB”.
If he feels such a lack of connection to the UK that he’d switch allegiance, he shouldn’t have led the British fans on for years. That’s what makes it sting.
Since he went to Stanford he’s no dummy. He should be able to see Britain is on the decline with their embrace of socialism. He knows President Trump will lead the U.S.A. back to greatness.