If we learn one day that there was something fishy going on with US athletes bailing out on Worlds I would be far from stunned. I don't expect we'll ever find out and I don't ever accuse anyone of cheating just because I find something fishy looking. But I can see how suspicions are aroused.
Honestly, I think the incredible success that Mu and McLaughlin have had has created this weird mental space for them where they feel like they need to set records every time they compete. Someone in their circles needs to remind them that they should be enjoying this. Get out and race in the middle of training and have some fun and who cares if you don't set a record or god forbid you get beat. It's like Steph Curry sitting out the season and only playing game seven of the finals. It's also why women's cross country skiing and ultra running have grown in popularity in recent years. (I know they are still ridiculously niche sports.) They have athletes like Jessie Diggins and Courtney Dauwalter that are out there obviously enjoying themselves and racing even if they know they aren't at their best each and every time out.
Honestly, I think the incredible success that Mu and McLaughlin have had has created this weird mental space for them where they feel like they need to set records every time they compete. Someone in their circles needs to remind them that they should be enjoying this. Get out and race in the middle of training and have some fun and who cares if you don't set a record or god forbid you get beat. It's like Steph Curry sitting out the season and only playing game seven of the finals. It's also why women's cross country skiing and ultra running have grown in popularity in recent years. (I know they are still ridiculously niche sports.) They have athletes like Jessie Diggins and Courtney Dauwalter that are out there obviously enjoying themselves and racing even if they know they aren't at their best each and every time out.
Since this board, including the very reactionary founders and their staff, go to town whenever a Kenyan so much as coughs, skips a meet, reschedules or runs significantly faster (or slower) than their PB, why should we hold back when discussing this highly suspicious pattern by so many Americans?
Does anyone else suspect a covert deal with the AIU given the legal minefield even tweeting an American's name would entail? Just putting it out there.
Could be as simple as letting their rankings fall to fall out of the highest testing pool during the Olympic build year.
Also allowing their 12 month period for missed tests to reset while training clean to give them 2 in the secret bank for the Olympic year.
Genuine question... who are these 'so many' superstars dropping out of Worlds? I only know of Michael Norman and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and Mu who is not officially out yet. Is the premise of the thread even correct or is it just trolling?
If so, it might be interesting to calculate the rate of dropouts of 'important' athletes in previous years, and see if this year is actually unique by more than what we'd expect just due to random chance. I am too lazy to do that work, especially since what we might ultimately get out of it is just circumstantial and very tentative evidence that athletes are doping -- which is already plausible.
Do tell. How many Kenyan superstars have been busted for doping in the last year? And just to be clear, Betty Wilson Lempus doesn't count as any kind of star.
In 2022 alone: Aprot, Cherono, Kacheran, Kipserem, Kipyokei, Kisorio, Korio, Renju, ... so maybe around 10? Hard to keep track...
You seem to have left out the 3 biggest names:
Rhonex Kipruto (World Recorder Holder 10k Road)
Titus Ekiru (2:02:57 Marathon, 6th fastest all time)
Rodgers Kwemoi (26:55 10k, 58:30 HM, 4th in Doha at 10k)
If any of those guys were American or European, they'd be superstars.
It's an impossible request to list Kenyan household names that have been suspended for doping, because outside of Kipchoge, there are no household names (there's probably only 2-3 household names in distance running - the world over).
It's either a drug thing, or a power thing done to show up USATF
What was Sha'Carri Richardson's meeting all about? "There is so much going on in our sport! A lot of changes are happening that affect us. We, as athletes, keep talking about not having a voice. We do! Let’s get together in Eugene in discuss. Interested in meeting during Nationals (of course not during competiti"on) to discuss what’s going on in US Track and Field, let me know! Athletes Only!!! If yes, fill out the form for more details including potential dates and times.Link in bio, please let’s come together for us for a change!" Instagram, July 2.
Maybe catching Assinga did put them on notice that the peptides like he (like Amos) was taking are no longer undetectable, and according to the IGF guy who used to be on here all the time, all the elites were supposed using them.
Well since the two notable American athletes in this discussion have the same coach, maybe that coach is the issue. He is old enough, for example, to be suffering some sort of age-related mental deterioration, which could lead him to make completely irrational decisions. And, sadly, he has enough of a cult-like following that his athletes might follow delusional guidance without questioning it.
After glancing at the first few posts of this thread I decided to skip the rest and just post instead....have no interest in doping posts. But quite honestly, this is really a bad look for US Track & Field. 3 Reigning champions not competing...because they want to focus on an event 1 year away?!? That is complete BS.
Track in the US is in a terrible place judging by the crowds and coverage it gets there...and to top it off, 3 of the premiere athletes can't be bothered to compete at the World Championships. Maybe they are worried about losing; maybe they don't want to travel...blah blah blah. It is a horrible look for the US. These are some of the best athletes in the world; but Track deserves better people who actually care about the sport itself. Athletes who actually want to give back...support organizers, support fans, support sponsors. And heck, maybe consider it an honor to compete in the Worlds.
These are some of the best athletes in the world; but Track deserves better people who actually care about the sport itself. Athletes who actually want to give back...support organizers, support fans, support sponsors. And heck, maybe consider it an honor to compete in the Worlds.
This is truly sad.
USA Track is full of people who wouldn't dream of missing World Championships. They're just not as good as these three, who have given it there all for a decade and decided that they needed a bit of a break the year before the Olympics -- like everyone has always gotten in the past.
World champs are this weekend....SM and Norman just pulled out. All they had to do was show up and run 400m. Mu just didn't want to go.
Sorry, no it is not normal for athletes to pull out of the premiere annual T&F event to rest up for the following year. USA TF looks horrible over this...how would the US feel the next time the Worlds are in the US, and every premiere athlete decides to take the year off at the last minute. Would Jordan have pulled out of the NBA finals for the Olympics...would Kobe.
Anyway...I understand that there are a slew of athletes behind these 3 that would give everything to compete at the Worlds...but USATF has an issue here.
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