Isn't our sport great? Top 2 boys HSers W Sumner and C Sahlman are running 800 at nationals this wknd - but at different meets!!

Except for the fact that Sumner will be running in a different race at a different meet.

As Bam Bam said, not apples to apples. Maybe a closer example would be if you qualified for the OT in the 800. You are excited and ready! The week of the trials you are informed that you are bumped from the field to make room for a miler/5K guy without the standard because he has a bigger name. That is not to say that they could not run faster than you in the 800, just that they have not at that point.

As I said before, I do not know if the brothers had times fitting for the fast heat. They may have. But when the seeds do not show qualifiers, it makes you wonder.

What about a kid who ran 4:05, like his brother? Showing they have the ability is not the same as actually doing it as the other deserving kids have done.

Cade Flatt’s going for the national record at NB

Imagine thinking a 3:58 miler and a 4:05 miler don’t belong in the fast heat of a high school 800. You guys are absolute clowns.

Well duh? It is an extreme outlandish example trying to show that there are limits. I had college teammates that were sub 4 that couldn't touch me in an 800. I was not sub 4. I also had some that could bury me in an 800. They DID NOT qualify for nationals in the 800 with a 1500 time.

One of the glorious things about T&F is that it is pure in some regards. No refs decisions. If you finish 3rd in the trials you make the Olympic team provided you have the standard. We do not weigh your name-appeal or anything else. Once we go away from that, it becomes a slippery slope. Put them in the mile, they earned it! Put them in the fast heat of the 800 ONLY if they have earned it.

What about :47 400 guys? :21.5 200 guys? 14:20 5K guys? Pretty soon the 1:49 favorite is not in the fast heat.

^ This and I’m pretty sure it was in an article written for the home page about Sumner so rojo is a moran

Unless they don't belong.

Our state high school associations are the root cause of this problem. Most state associations don't allow high school teams or athletes to represent their school teams out of state or outside the designated season (which usually ends at the state championship). The lack of an official national championship leaves a vacuum that the shoe companies are happy to fill. Obviously indoor track is a little different since it's not officially a high school sport in most states, but it's no different than having Footlocker and NXN for XC and the multiple outdoor track championships we are probably going to see this spring.

Exception are made for all time greats. Cope.

First, to the person saying why not some female hurdler whom I've never heard of (but please go ahead and say who you mean and then we'll know) on a distance message board talking about male events and invoking race, do you even know the family background of Sumner?

Second, Sahlman is a candidate for the best all-time middle distance and distance runner in high school history. With a 3:58 where he kicked down and defeated professionals, and a recent workout of roughly 1:58/58/59 (on 60s); 5-7 minutes; 1:59/59/58, in what world would he not be worthy of the first heat in any high school 800m field? How is that not sub-1:50 quality? This is not taking a big risk. If he runs 1:51, so be it, but he might well run 1:48. (I'd love to see him in the same race as Sumner, but that should be a 1500m, because I think Sumner actually has even more potential at that distance, given how he runs (even-paced and better the farther the race, and his build).

I was mainly talking to the people saying that he would not be a factor in a race if they went head to head.

The only reason this is even getting hate is because it’s the NP kids. If this was 2015 and Grant Fisher decided he was doing the 800 at indoor nationals you all would be cheering him on for running a wide range of distances. You people are pathetic.

Also, this isn’t the NCAA. There are no qualifying times to hit. These national events are glorified invitationals mainly contested by people on the east coast. It is up to the discretion of meet organizers to place runners in the right heats, and thank god they have enough of a brain to put two of the best HS distance runners this country has ever seen in the fast heat of a race, instead of chucking them in the slow heat. But keep complaining, Mrs. Donahue

And the only reason the NP kids get any hate is because of their coach. Fisher’s coach (does anyone even know his name) would never be such a pain. it looks like all his kids are over seeded (other than the 4x1 mile) probably because he threw a fit.

At least in my lifetime, all time greats would have the marks.

Dude. Get over it. Oh my god.

You seriously have nothing better to do than complain and bicker for pages on an online message board about a 3:58 HS miler being placed in the fast heat of an 800 without a mark, at a meet involving people who have nothing to do with you? Take the L dude you're not winning this.

Why do I know you probably completely suck the life out of everyone around you, provided anyone has hung around long enough.

This started with my innocent statement that "If I were the coach of someone kept out of the fast heat by someone with inferior times I would not be happy." They do have standards and in the entry process say heats will be determined by indoor times ran this season. I made sure to say that I do not know seed times and the brothers may be two of the top 8. Some ran with that to imply I don't think they are worthy.....

Speaking of nothing better to do, why did you respond? You are sucking the life out of others by jumping in on a discussion that did not include you for what reason? Now, go get your homework done.