Iowa State Meet: Runner gets shoved and falls badly in 800, then wins 1600 in 4:07 and is granted solo 800 rerun (video)

Right, what did Iowa give us except the computer and the Atom bomb?

Where are all the people calling for the puncher to be arrested and charged with assault like when the black guy punched the white guy? Where are all the people saying that they no longer feel safe at track meets? Where are all the people saying the mainstream media will sweep this under the rug because it doesn't fit their agenda? Also, do you think this will make CNN, Fox, and Sportscenter like the Florda incident?

Just for the record, I think the grievances against the punched runner I'm reading here are more of a reflection on people's perception of his school than a reflection of what actually happened.

The punch was justified because he got BUMPED? Excuse me? Just run the race and beat the dude, then protest after if need be.

People are acting like this was a normal race with normal bumping and jostling. It was not. The runner threw a body block into the leader, clearly on purpose. When it is that egregious, don’t expect a normal reaction.

Jackson Heidesch just sounds like a douche. No kid named like that isn't a douche.

Anyway: extremely douchey Midwestern middle-distance runner with a name so white, it's got a favorite brunch place in town? He's definitely going to WashU.

Go look at that roster. Those names are so white, they should be sponsored by Hellman's.

Millions that "saw" Will Smith punch Chris Rock. But it wasn't a punch, it was a slap.

This whole discussion is here because not everyone agreed that the kid who fell down should have been DQ'd. The officials thought otherwise, and set up a time trial qualification round just for him.

Sure, everyone in this thread agrees with that, but no one in this thread was an official at the meet. Those officials need to get more heat.

That's what you get for having hobby officials judging a serious race.

Jackson is actually a really nice guy. I’m not sure why you guys are going off on a 17 yr old kid you don’t even know. The actions in the video give u no reason to hate Jackson. He tried to cut in and got denied, and then was punched in the back and you’re calling him the bad guy

Well as best as I can tell the officials aren’t in this thread so we are just left to argue with the idiots that are claiming that hitting someone in the back of the head is an appropriate response.

I don't see much disagreement- Smith deserved the DQ. The problem is, so did Heidesch. Maybe you should direct your name calling at the Dowling coach who stood on the infield lobbying for this re-run (at his hand selected time). This did not have to happen. Heidesch had multiple opportunities to own his part of it. He should have declined the re run.

The Dowling coaches created a situation where the only person who didn't learn something from this awful event was his runner- and his runner initiated the entire thing. Instead he gives his polished public statements to the reporters and twitter and gets to feel like a hero.

I saw it live and have watched the video several times. I think Smith was trying not to step on the rail. He pushes back to gain space. I don't see what I would call a punch. He could instead be in the hospital with a broken leg if he allowed the push to happen.

The officials didn't watch any video footage. This is why the NFL initiated instant replay. Sometimes we miss something in real time that is very obvious when you have the opportunity to rewatch it.

I’ll direct my name calling where it is earned. And for people actually on this thread, that would be those saying that hitting a runner is justified.

Yes, both runners should have been dq’d.

From what I understand, these two kids are friends, for what that is worth.

I don't think what Jackson did was worthy of a DQ. He cut in a little too quick, and maybe was a little more aggressive than he needed to be, but this is an 800 with 12 kids, all of fairly similar ability, in the field. It's not like he made a calculated decision to race like an a ss hole. It just happened. If he had caused the Iowa City kid to go off the track, yeah, then DQ, but what he did would have had little to no impact on how the Iowa City kid finished the race, if the punches hadn't happened. The punches needed to be DQ'ed, though. It was a heat of the moment reaction, but that isn't something that can be tolerated.

People justifying repeated punches to the back after another runner cuts you off should never coach...ever. I don't know much about the Iowa City kid, but Jackson seems like a nice kid. It's pretty comical how a bunch of adults are judging a kid for a split second decision in a race...as if they have never accidentally cut someone off in a race before.

He leaned his legs and body, loading up to initiate contact. He wasn't cutting in, he was body blocking the runner with position. Watching the film, it is obviously illegal.

Is the phone video of a TV the only on that all of you are commenting because I can't really see the punches that others see?

People saying the Dowling kid should be DQ'ed...so all contact of any kind is worthy of a DQ? He rubbed shoulders with him...that happens in every race. Saying that should be a DQ shows a lot of you 1. Don't understand the rules of the sport and 2. Are wusses. You are allowed to jockey for position. Also, you can clearly see the Iowa City kid throw multiple punches if you expand the video.

No one is saying that all contact warrants a DQ. This was egregious and not merely “rubbing shoulders”. You’re as off as those saying hitting the kid was justified. They both should’ve been DQ’d.