Did Mu cut off Hodgkinson? Grounds for DQ?

Left foot is much further from line than right foot later is. Shelved in at least 1 foot. Not good sportsmanship.

MU has a right to compete for the rail, even if you want to go there. Usually, the runner behind would do a stutter step and bounce to the outside, or drop back and surge around. It happens earlier in races all the time, usually on the backstretch of the second lap. Those moves are harder to do when equally matched tired runners are kicking for the finish, but it doesn't change a thing otherwise in terms of DQ value.

There is no DQ value. People are nuts expecting Mu to hold a line like she's on a train track or something like that.

Yes, it would have been nice to see what would have happened if there was plenty of space all the way to the finish for both runners, and no contact, but nothing evil or against any norms happened here.

And it is true that this could be called another way, favoring one athlete over another, but it wouldn't be right.

You're forgetting ( or maybe not) Athing set a precedent by ALWAYS leaving enough space for a competitor to pass ion her side. Of course, she probably never thought it would happen...but it did. And, Athing is in wrong by allowing that situation to exist! AND, commentator after commentator said that one day she might get caught out doing it... and she did! And, what did she do then? She decides to impede the forward movement of the athlete she has left space for! She can't have it both ways! If she wants to run on the outside of her lane, and leave room for someone to pass on the inside, she can't then panic and squeeze the space of the athlete on her inside. Why? It's dishonest. It's unfair, and it's morally very dubious"

Here's a crazy idea - if you want to not have any contact in the homestretch, don't try to pass someone running in lane 1 in the inside. Otherwise you're going to rub shoulders and elbows. This is 100% on Keely's poor tactics - Mu did nothing wrong.

In the head-on shot it's clear Bekele even drifts from the middle of lane 3 to the middle of 2 for no reason.

That is blatant. Guilty as sin. Honestly I expected better from Mu and she needs to cut that out.

Keely seemed to realize her mistake and to her credit did not try to force her way through. Credit to both athletes, but checkmate Athing Mu.

I think you are mixing running with driving. There is no rule about passing on either side in track

However, there is a rule about moving over to block runners

This thread is a seemingly endless pit into the insecurities and delusion of a handful of posters. Somehow its harder to accept reality than concoct fantasy after fantasy about how your girl was wronged.

I'm a Brit who has lived in US for 25 years, and like and admire both runners.

I've run a lot of 800m races over the years. I think it's unwise of Mu to run that far off the rail when in front. That said, in horse racing, tactically it's not unusual to tempt a rival to come inside and then tighten them up - Ok if you don't impede or make contact. It's just called good race-riding.

It doesn't appear that they make contact here, and there is no sign that Keeley has to check stride or loses momentum.

It's not reasonable, anyway to expect two tiring 800m runners to keep arrow straight tracks - Mu does come in, but it's probably 6-9 inches, and nothing about it looks like a delibarate block.

I'd also notice that there is nothing in Keeley's demeanor immediately post-race that suggests she is upset with Mu, and I haven't heard anything in the way of a public statement to indicate that she had any issue.

I'd that it didn't impact the result. Mu, not in her own best form was the better on the day albeit by a very small margin and the result stays the same if Keeley goes wide. I'd also say going forward both can learn - Mu that it's probably better not to leave a gap on the rail when you're leading, and Keeley that if you go for a gap on the rail you're taking a chance that it's going to be tight.

Mistake? It's not a mistake by Keely! The mistake was made by Athing. A mistake that was noticed by commentator after commentator. Again, if she chooses to run on the outside of her lane, she cannot then impede an athlete who decides to move through the space she has given up!

You can literally see a couple more strides out that she drifted back out closer to the lane line again. It's more likely the momentum and forces acting on her going around the bend that caused her to close in.

Oh dear! But the gap wasn't tight - look at the photo - until Athing chose moved to her left in a deliberate attempt to impede Keely's progress.

I agree. I will add some clarification. There are no lanes after cutting in. The last 600 meters of the race is just an open track. The lines mean nothing. Hodgkinson pulled even with Mu with about 120 meters to go. Mu then started to slowly move in and impeded Hodgkinson's form. Hodgkinson could have gotten Mu DQed if she had held her line and ran freely because they would have gotten jostled. But she slid closer to the rail and kept her arms very close to her body.

But, there os enough space for both runners in the photo on the bend! But, Athing changes that situation by deliberately moving to her left and creating the dreadfully crowded situation in the other photo. Athing runs on the outside of her lane, and leaves a space, and Keely has every right move into that space but Athing - realising her mistake -hasn't got the right to then move to her left and impede Keely. Come on, this isn't rocket science.

The 2 photos make it pretty clear. Mu moves in about 1 foot.

But what if.. these video frames suggest.. the ruling body might be too scared to rule against a black woman.. listen to yourselves! The question is if this were grounds for a DQ. The answer is very simple, “no.” Invent all the hare-brained scenarios you like, the answer is still no grounds for DQ.

There are obviously grounds because many runners and coaches and fans have told you that there are. You can review the video and photos and provide you opinion. It is subjective so it obviously didn't result in a DQ because it wasn't egregious enough or, not enough grounds. But there certainly were some grounds.