BREAKING: Leonard Korir not going to Paris! 11 Universality athletes get in ahead of him!

Lenny has his chance. Wasn't good enough based on the rules. Case closed.

I don't think it'd hurt any to let the rankings folks in, Mike Rodick.

Was there anything about universality a month ago? Three months, six months?

Liam Adams of Australia ran a 2:08:39 and didn't get in either.

Pretty sure he was good enough based on the rules, which is why people were perplexed by what happened.

he did exactly what was required. was inside the top 80 when qualifying closed as specified by WA.

After the fact they change it to top 69. had he or any of the other 11 known they could have at least attempted to better their position.

He tried twice and wasn't able to improve.

Why didn't he run 2:08:10 to qualify? He had his chance, actually several chances: Paris, Rotterdam, his DNF, the trials. He did not qualify.

Plenty of runners ran <2:08:10 and didn’t get in.

This is all stupid. Take inside the top 80, as previously communicated, and then just add the 11 country reps to the field. For a marathon the field size is already miniscule, so 11 extra, in fact 110 extra would make no difference.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the problem isn’t WA but the IOC. During the race a few runners more don’t make a big difference but in terms of out-of-race logistics, e.g. accommodation, transportation, etc. they quickly can become a problem. IOC has been clear that they want to keep the number of participants in the Games at a certain level. If they now allow 10% more participants in one competition, many other sports will rightfully start a discussion about why they aren’t allowed to extend their fields as well. All of the sudden we’re not talking about ~10 more athletes but hundreds.

It's also the IOC who wants at least 1 athlete per country to compete in track. These universality athletes can compete in only the 100, 800 and marathon. They do not appear to be reducing the 100 and 800 fields.

Also, only pick proper universality athletes. Not fake ones who were born and raised in Australia for example.

Could be the IOC's blow back on WA for getting the time standard completely wrong on the women's side. The field is already way too large there.

Where was Korir born and raised again? With all due respect to him, if he had stayed in Kenya we wouldn't be discussing him, his times wouldn't get him anywhere near a nomination to the Olympic Games.

This nails it. This isn't some two-bit track meet at a high school track. People say "it's just a few more athletes, they can go on their own cash and stay in a hotel outside the village." But that's not how it works. The Olympics is a huge, multi-sport event with hundreds of athletes and support staff. It's a huge deal to provide everything they need within the Olympic Village. And World Athletics has already pushed the IOC on this because it screwed up the women's marathon qualifying standard and the field is now well above what it was supposed to be.

For LA 2028, WA needs to go back to offering universality places in any event (except the 10,000, which has a small field). Funneling universality athletes into just three events was always going to risk this kind of logjam.

wwos.nine.com.au

US soldier threatens Army action over 'unfair' Olympics move

'They should try to make rules and stick to the rules'

Link:wwos.nine.com.au/olympics/games-paris-...

Sounds from this article like WA is trying to get these guys in atm, but they need the IOC to agree.

"... The deadline for universality applications from national Olympic committees [NOCs] in the marathon was 23 April. If the NOCs wanted to protect their right to a universality entry, these countries had little alternative but to apply for a place in the marathon," the World Athletics statement said.
"However, it is likely that a number will soon confirm a preference for a universality entry in the 100m. Upon receipt of which, World Athletics will be able [to] reallocate these places, if room in the quota allows.
"As both marathons take place at the end of the Olympic program in Paris, we are in negotiations with the IOC to try and find a solution that will allow next best-ranked athletes in the marathon to enter the village at a later stage and possibly replace athletes from the same NOC who have finished their competition, thus not affecting the overall athlete quota."
"We hope to receive a positive response from our discussions with the IOC shortly."

They need to be sure that they do not exceed the limit of 1810 athletics competitors. There are 1676 quota places, to which the following will be added: universality places, the refugee team, the relay pools and possibly host country places (French athletes for events where no French have qualified). IF the resulting number is <=1800, it sounds like they will be added to the field by July 6th. If there is not enough space, it comes down to negotiations with the IOC as mentioned in the article.

Women's Marathon universality places are already down to 7 because Moldova got an auto-Q in the Hammer Throw

Tow Men's Marathon universality spots (Cyprus and Uruguay) are likely to go when they will get qualifications through rankings in 110hs and Long Jump. That would get 81th and 82th in.

Out of the 10 names between 71th and 80th, one Barhainian will go to fill Kimutai's quota and one is from the Refugee team anyway. So 8 remain. 2 can get in in place of Cyprus and Uruguay. So they need to fit 6 more somewhere.

Dumb question here:

Is the universality rule "Qualified by World Rankings Position" or "Qualified by Entry Standard"?