Mixed final: Deadmon replaces whoever looked worst in prelim, or just run in back.
What happens if one of the two women flop in the prelim? What happened last year was the plan was to replace one of the women but Willie ran so poorly in the prelim that he was replaced for the final.
Then the woman gets replaced by whittaker or hayes. No biggie.
I think there's a slight difference in mindset going on between countries here. The Netherlands averages one (1) T&F medal per Olympics, the USA over two dozen. The Dutch don't have luxury to just abandon a solid chance at a medal by saving Bol, just so she can get a slightly higher chance at a gold (which is unlikely anyway). Also, the Dutch team are tightknit and there's no way Bol would just ditch her mates like that.
Why unlikely? You don't think Bol can run faster than her pr? She is constantly improving unlike Sydney