Row 4 wrote:
Les wrote:Yeah, about 10 meters from the finish she started slowing up. Does anyone know the layout of the stadium? Usually in Diamond League meets there's a video screen at the end of the home straight so runners can check their position without having to look around. Maybe there was no board there so Huddle was blind to Infeld's charge.
Both screens at the ends of the stadium are showing the current race. She could have seen infield coming.
Camera was on first two.
I haven't seen anyone in this thread bring up another major point. Huddle ran the majority of a 25 lap race with 50 curves in the outside of lane one and much in lane two. This probably accounts for an extra 40-50 meters over the entire race. When so many runners are even in talent and preparation things like this can play a factor.
She shouldn't have allowed a runner to past her on the inside near the finish.
Good point! Molly "oops, I did it again" Huddle should learn to run closer to the curb.
Opinionated guy wrote:I haven't seen anyone in this thread bring up another major point. Huddle ran the majority of a 25 lap race with 50 curves in the outside of lane one and much in lane two. This probably accounts for an extra 40-50 meters over the entire race. When so many runners are even in talent and preparation things like this can play a factor.
Leon Lett was different. Endurance athletes are exhausted at the end of the race and are hanging on as long as they can. Lett has never felt the complete exhaustion of a championship-level 10,000-meter race.
Huddle made a gigantic mistake, Infeld earned a bronze medal that she should in no way feel sheepish about (if anything she should be even prouder of it than if she'd finished third by a big margin), but Huddle is not like Lett.
It's always funny to me how much people care about the difference between third and fourth. I mean, what if they gave away medals to the top five or the top two? This wouldn't mean nearly as much. Of course, I would be the same way if I was a professional runner, but it does seem silly when you look at it objectively, right, that an award for finishing third would mean so much while finishing fourth would mean so little? Ben Johnson has plenty of medals still, doesn't he? Showed them off in that ESPN 30 for 30 documentary. They don't mean much anymore.
It just feels as if someone who knows nothing of the Olympic medals system or track and field would look at this race and be like, well, so she got fourth instead of third. I guess that's kind of bummer, but it's not like was going to win and then lost. Lesson learned, whatever, carry on.
agree, in the big picture the third/forth distinction is somewhat arbitrary. Huddle battled for the lead when it counted and gave a strong effort in that race. Infeld stayed in the mix and showed great form driving to the line the last 150m. good showing from USA team and lots of motivation for next year. 'epic fail' comments are stupid- she didn't see her and was spent- it happens
I suspect her pay cheque would be a bit sweeter coming 3rd instead of 4th, however.
Leon Lett was different wrote:
Leon Lett was different. Endurance athletes are exhausted at the end of the race and are hanging on as long as they can. Lett has never felt the complete exhaustion of a championship-level 10,000-meter race.
Huddle made a gigantic mistake, Infeld earned a bronze medal that she should in no way feel sheepish about (if anything she should be even prouder of it than if she'd finished third by a big margin), but Huddle is not like Lett.
It's always funny to me how much people care about the difference between third and fourth. I mean, what if they gave away medals to the top five or the top two? This wouldn't mean nearly as much. Of course, I would be the same way if I was a professional runner, but it does seem silly when you look at it objectively, right, that an award for finishing third would mean so much while finishing fourth would mean so little? Ben Johnson has plenty of medals still, doesn't he? Showed them off in that ESPN 30 for 30 documentary. They don't mean much anymore.
It just feels as if someone who knows nothing of the Olympic medals system or track and field would look at this race and be like, well, so she got fourth instead of third. I guess that's kind of bummer, but it's not like was going to win and then lost. Lesson learned, whatever, carry on.
Opinionated guy wrote:
I haven't seen anyone in this thread bring up another major point. Huddle ran the majority of a 25 lap race with 50 curves in the outside of lane one and much in lane two. This probably accounts for an extra 40-50 meters over the entire race. When so many runners are even in talent and preparation things like this can play a factor.
Yeah! Huddle REALLY won that bronze!
She screwed up, AGAIN!
She is starting to remind me of Uceny (the fall down queen of US track).
Typical Redstate Guy wrote:
Yeah! Huddle REALLY won that bronze!
She screwed up, AGAIN!
She is starting to remind me of Uceny (the fall down queen of US track).
Slow down big boy!
As 99% could probably decipher, I was implying her failure to run through the line was only one of her errors. In addition to running additional distance Huddle seemed to be intense and overly concerned with her position far too early for a 10K. All the while Infeld rarely got off the rail or actively competed with others until she had to do so. Coaching?
Huddle was already celebrating, arms up in jubilation, waltzing into the finish, envisioning an American flag around her shoulders & a bronze medal on the podium. Molly "Leon Lett" Huddle screws up again.
It's become a conditioned response. She wins every --almost-- race and raises her arms at the line. Was it a surprise she did it this time - no .
Amidst all this criticism of Molly (much of it deserved), I must point out that in watching the last mile of the race that Molly has one of the most beautiful strides in distance history, so lovely, light and strong. Hopefully she will harness this frustration to a good end next year.
Her stride certainly looks very efficient, but her feet don't come up very high in back like the east Africans. Not sure that that's a good thing. I noticed the same thing watching Rupp in the 10,000.
I feel bad for Molly, this is almost like a football player in a playoff football game celebrating or dropping the ball before they actually cross the goal line.
Why didn't she just look up at the large monitor?
That is here nor there. She is not celebrating now. She could be done and join Uceny in the painting titled "What could have been".
A good sports Psychologist may be able to get her to see this as motivation and kill it at the Olympics but as much as I would like to see that happen my gut tells me she is done.
true molly fan wrote:
Textbook example.. wrote:Molly, I am one of your biggest fans. It is heart breaking to see you go through this but you sort of brought it on yourself. That was honestly more heart breaking to watch than Morgan Uceny's Olympic fall. I still love you, but man its going to take a while for you to forgive yourself for this one. I hope you are well.
You are not a Molly fan if you think that this is her legacy. How 'bout an AR in the 5000m? Multiple times NCAA AA? etc?
She made a mistake that she'll regret. I think she'll use this as motivation for the Olympics next year.
+10000
true molly fan wrote:
You are not a Molly fan if you think that this is her legacy.
+1000000
Supporting you, Molly!
PLEASE...this in NO way will define her. Why do people come on here and post such negative things...how about some support? Her goal was Top 5 anyway, which she achieved.
Molly's stride wrote:
Her stride certainly looks very efficient, but her feet don't come up very high in back like the east Africans. Not sure that that's a good thing. I noticed the same thing watching Rupp in the 10,000.
This is due to the east africans higher bone density and more rigid knee and hip ligaments. Thus giving them less energy loss at impact and creating greater momentum at hamsting extention. Most people incorrectly credit the flexibility of the achilles tendon, I believe they are wrong.
JMS3 wrote:
PLEASE...this in NO way will define her. Why do people come on here and post such negative things...how about some support? Her goal was Top 5 anyway, which she achieved.
That's because most that post here are high school and college kids that have a lot of growing up to do. If not kids, they don't have a good excuse. Anonymity is great for jerks.