Wow: Guy who didn't even make NCAA finals - Carlos Villareal of Arizona/Mexico - just won the Pan Am 1500 gold in 3:39

Good to see Jager smash the 8 minute barrier.

It's a slightly different situation since Villarreal has been representing Mexico since he was in High School. In the 2015 Adidas Dream Mile he's got the lil' Mexico flag next to his name, as opposed to the american flag you see next to everyone else. Really there's been no change in representation because, to my knowledge, he's never represented the USA. Good for Carlos though, he's always had a straight nasty kick and we saw it in action again in Lima.

Here's the video from the 2015 Dream Mile

Meh*Meh wrote:

Gregorek is a tactical idiot.

His tactics looked fine (even good) his race - he just got beat.

What do you suggest he should have done differently?

Robbert Johnnsonn should learn that a certain Arizona/Mexico runner spells his last name with TWO R's, as in:

V-I-L-L-A-R-R-E-A-L .

At the very least, change the title to this thread to give the guy his just due, by simply spelling his name correctly.

And when you write about him in followup posts, do him proud by adhering to the correct spelling.

RoJo is an idiot. We know this. Anyway, all this time I though Carlos Villarreal was an American.

Bad Wigins wrote:

FrenchDawg wrote:

its kind of a busy year with world champs and diamond league, so some of the US top guys do have bigger fish to fry than the Pan American games.

Someone should tell the Pan Am games to reschedule to a non-WC, non-olympic year then. Kind of hard to find a non-DL year. They also still might be crowded out by World Relays.

I think indeed there is an unwritten agreement that the title of western hemisphere's best is not a big deal.

It's not our fault that the rest of this side of the planet blows. It's not like we can invite ourselves to the Euro championships.

Except for the United States, and certain particular cases from Canada, all the federations sent their "A" teams. Even Jamaica.

If 3:39 is weak, how about 3:50 in the last Olympic final? Gregorek made the race interesting. And he medaled.

How many gold medals have (so far) USA in mid distante/distance events at Lima Panamerican Games?

its different when you are a mexican-american.....you are a 1st generation american....alot of them have half their family still living in mexico....and no motha f ing anyone is gonna tell a mexican who to rep....VIVA MEXICO

Meh*Meh wrote:

Gregorek is a tactical idiot.

I'm waiting for Rojo to microanalyze this race too.

Meh*Meh wrote:

Gregorek is a tactical idiot.

Exactly.

And he clearly hasn't worked out what sort of runner he is. He tried to ease his way into first place, when he should have been using his strength and maxing from way further out. Too fancy. No confidence, and a guy outkicks him in a slow time

sillyman wrote:

Meh*Meh wrote:

Gregorek is a tactical idiot.

Exactly.

And he clearly hasn't worked out what sort of runner he is. He tried to ease his way into first place, when he should have been using his strength and maxing from way further out. Too fancy. No confidence, and a guy outkicks him in a slow time

Leading the field in 1:59 did nothing to set up success for him. He needs to study guys with long kicks like Cram and Walker, instead of running like Steve Scott.

Bonkers wrote:

Jeff Wigand wrote:

It's been an awful year for the Gregoreks. That he's racing at any level right now is admirable.

How so?

I thought he was an American! wrote:

RoJo is an idiot. We know this. Anyway, all this time I though Carlos Villarreal was an American.

Pot, meet kettle.

Meh*Meh wrote:

Gregorek is a tactical idiot.

He finished 2nd. Most of the sit-kick strategists finished behind him. Go tell El G he's an idiot for front-running most of his career.

Wondering if Carlos Villarreal's Pan Am win gives him the Doha 2019 qualifying standard, since the Pan Ams are a regional championship, or will the IAAF only take the NACAC champion from last year (assuming they don't have the time standard already)?

Even if the Pan Am win gets him the Doha standard, will the Mexican federation take him, or will Arizona shut him down to get ready for cross country?

Just asking.

Jeff Wigand wrote:

Bonkers wrote:

How so?

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/thesunchronicle/obituary.aspx?n=patrick-j-gregorek&pid=192022277&fhid=28489

Oh, man. That is so sad.

You are right. It puts his season in a different light.

Dang, I'm sorry for his loss.

Joe Cuervo de Oro wrote:

Wondering if Carlos Villarreal's Pan Am win gives him the Doha 2019 qualifying standard, since the Pan Ams are a regional championship, or will the IAAF only take the NACAC champion from last year (assuming they don't have the time standard already)?

After some poking around, I'm pretty sure the answer, unfortunately, is no. Being the Pan Am Champion won't give Villarreal the 2019 qualifying standard. As you guessed, it's the NACAC Champion who gets the standard.

The key is that the IAAF rules say the "Area" Champion will get the qualifying standard. IAAF members are split into six Area Associations. The NACAC is the IAAF's Area Association for the Americas. So to the IAAF, the NACAC champion, not the Pan Am champion, is the "Area" Champion.

In the IAAF calendar, they list the NACAC Championship as an "AREA Senior Outdoor Championship" while they list the Pan Am Games as a "Major Games."

PS As you may know, the standard for Doha is 3:36 flat. Since Villarreal's PB is

3:37.22, he's unlikely to qualify on time.

Bad Wigins wrote:

is there some unwritten agreement that no country sends its best runners to the Pan Am games?

But some, I assume, are good people.