Is Magdalena Boulet a real American runner?

To me the interesting question about runners and their origins compared to their success is if they came up through the American High School and College system, not citizenship or country of birth.

Does the American system work or does the success of naturalized citizens indicate that a larger percent of them are successful and the American system is not so good or a hindrance? What about people who come into the American system part way through their development?

Tom

IRunXC wrote:

Lewy-Boulet was born in Jastrzębie-Zdrój, Poland and became a U.S. citizen on September 11, 2001. So, she's no different than Meb or Abdi. However, I don't see her being vilified on this message board for not being an American from birth. Why is this?

When have Meb or Abdi been vilified on this board?

here is the bottom line.. wrote:East Africans are felt to have the advantage of being born and raised at altitude which gives them an advantage from the get-go to Americans or Europeans.

Where is your evidence that altitude is an advantage?

Malmo get a clue and stop encouraging such behavior with a question you already know the answer. There have been far more posts degrading/attacking Meb, Abdi, Bernard, Khalid on this website than ones speaking positively about their citizenship and accomplishments as an American athlete.

There are numerous citizens that was born here that the country would have been better of it they weren't American citizens but that's completely another discussion for a much later time. So in fact any one who obtained U.S. citizenship is an AMERICAN CITIZEN it doesn't matter if they've been one for 60 minutes or 60 years. Stop attacking those atheltes who wish nothing but to represent the country they and we loved!

VIPAM wrote:

Malmo get a clue and stop encouraging such behavior with a question you already know the answer. There have been far more posts degrading/attacking Meb, Abdi, Bernard, Khalid on this website than ones speaking positively about their citizenship and accomplishments as an American athlete.

VIPAM, you're the one who needs to get a clue. You are flat out wrong. The number of degrading posts are minuscule compared to the supportive posts. Those "degrading/attack" posts are the work of a handful of anonymous idiots.

Runner 451 wrote:

Why aren't people talking about her not being American born? Is it because, though she had a break through race, she hasn't won a major race? Or because she is white? Or do we accept Poles as our own.

People *are* talking about her not being American born. In fact, someone created an entire thread about it. In fact, you are posting on said thread.

Maybe it's just me but I hold Meb and Abdi in a different category than Bernard.

My main reason is that it really bothers me that he can get an American record that isn't even close to his PR. For Meb: getting the AR in the 10k was one of the greatest highlites of his life, but for Lagat the AR in the 1500 was just another race.

let me whisper in your ear wrote:

Runner 451 wrote:

Why aren't people talking about her not being American born? Is it because, though she had a break through race, she hasn't won a major race? Or because she is white? Or do we accept Poles as our own.

People *are* talking about her not being American born. In fact, someone created an entire thread about it. In fact, you are posting on said thread.

I started the thread. I started the thread because there no one else had up to that point. After New York there were threads created pretty quick about Meb.

She is as real an American as Meb, Alberto and you and me. One of my grandfathers was born in Poland and a grandmother in Russia - we're all Americans, its just that some of our ancestors moved here while others move here after they are born. I met Magdalena at the 2008 New York City Marathon Expo, she was wonderful and she did a nice interview with me last year. Though she has added some stellar performances since then, you may enjoy what at the time was an in-depth look at her running career. http://www.garycohenrunning.com/Interviews/LewyBoulet.aspx

here is the bottom line.. wrote:

Here is the difference: East Africans are felt to have the advantage of being born and raised at altitude which gives them an advantage from the get-go to Americans or Europeans.

I never considered Hall an American.

malmo wrote:

When have Meb or Abdi been vilified on this board?

VIPAM wrote:

Malmo get a clue and stop encouraging such behavior with a question you already know the answer. There have been far more posts degrading/attacking Meb, Abdi, Bernard, Khalid on this website than ones speaking positively about their citizenship and accomplishments as an American athlete.

VIPAM, you're the one who needs to get a clue. You are flat out wrong. The number of degrading posts are minuscule compared to the supportive posts. Those "degrading/attack" posts are the work of a handful of anonymous idiots.

Malmo, first you ask when Meb and Abdi have ever been vilified on this board and then in the very next responset mention the number of degrading/attack posts.

Which is it?

Malmo, first you ask when Meb

She's white, isn't she?

which is it wrote:

Malmo get a clue and stop encouraging such behavior with a question you already know the answer. There have been far more posts degrading/attacking Meb, Abdi, Bernard, Khalid on this website than ones speaking positively about their citizenship and accomplishments as an American athlete.

VIPAM, you're the one who needs to get a clue. You are flat out wrong. The number of degrading posts are minuscule compared to the supportive posts. Those "degrading/attack" posts are the work of a handful of anonymous idiots.[/quote]

Malmo, first you ask when Meb and Abdi have ever been vilified on this board and then in the very next responset mention the number of degrading/attack posts.

Which is it?

[/quote]

Which is it? Reading comprehension on your part.

VIPAM said: "There have been far more posts degrading/attacking Meb, Abdi, Bernard, Khalid on this website than ones speaking positively about their citizenship and accomplishments as an American athlete."

This characterization is, in fact, not true. The number of 'vilifying posts' is minuscule and done only by a few anonymous trolls. That's not difficult to understand.