I think you pick who is in form. The future will pick themselves if they are good enough.
I think you pick who is in form. The future will pick themselves if they are good enough.
Cam Myers on Inside Running Podcast this week had an interesting take on it. Ollie's seasons best is a second faster than Jude and he beat him in Nationals. If Ollie had stopped running after his 3.31 and just trained through, then he'd probably be picked and it wouldn't be controversial. But because he has been racing a lot, then he might get punished based on form. And it seemed like Cam felt this is an unfair take, i.e. to punish the guy that is turning up and running big meets.
Cam was overlooked in selection for the 2024 Olympics based on Nationals results and season's bests, despite being the young guy with the most potential. And in the marathon one of the reasons they named for picking Stenson over Weightman was the experience of being a Comm Games gold medallist, as Ollie is.
So I tend to sit in the camp that Ollie would be very stiff to miss, even though I agree that if he and Jude raced tomorrow it's 50/50 as to whether Ollie would win. They have to be guided by the policy, however flawed, otherwise integrity is lost. And if Jude is picked as a 'young guy in better form', then that would reek of MTC again getting the benefit of discretion.
THOUGHTSLEADER wrote:
Jude Thomas deserves it over Olli probably.
Why? Olli beat Jude at Australian nationals. Olli has a faster PR this season as well. I get Olli hasn't done much in the Diamond Leagues but idk how you pick Jude over him.
It's also a while since Jude has raced. Everyone is saying Ollie's form isn't great, but we have no idea how Jude is going over 1500 right now
Ollie’s seasons best (3:31.15) is still faster than both Adam Spencer’s and Jude Thomas’s PBs (3:31.81 and 3:32.07 respectively).
Also Ollie’s SB is worth more points than Adams 3:49 mile.
The real question should be who gets the 3rd spot between Adam and Jude.
Billings and Thomas straight out. Coooool.