When you have trials it puts runners in a strange situation. On the one hand you have to be fit enough to guarantee placing in the top 3, but not so fit that you peak before the Olympics. We sometimes send the wrong people because guys aren't prepared yet for the Trials. So someone gets in as a fluke while they're in peak shape and then does terribly at the Olympics - what's the point?
"It would be cool to see a Trials that took the top two and the third chosen by committee."
I love how other major sports do that. Like how the NFL uses a committee to select the last playoff spot. And NHL just uses a committee to select the teams that go to the stanley cup finals. It's so much better that way because the committee can tell who would be the best in the future.
Go USA!
captain sarcasm!! wrote:
"It would be cool to see a Trials that took the top two and the third chosen by committee."
I love how other major sports do that. Like how the NFL uses a committee to select the last playoff spot. And NHL just uses a committee to select the teams that go to the stanley cup finals. It's so much better that way because the committee can tell who would be the best in the future.
Go USA!
That difference is that marathon runners can't race week after week without detriment or drop off in performance. A football team doesn't require months to recover from and prepare for individual games.