As to the strategy in the semi, Rose, a known pace-pusher, was in that race as well. Rose ran a 56.86 in the NCAA Semi and a 56.09 first lap in the NCAA Final. Did she not know this? If not, why not. Let Rose run her normal pace and sit off her. Instead, in the weakest of the three semis, she panicked.
And, honestly, she was the fastest woman in the field. She ran like a complete neophyte for two races in a row and is on the outside looking in. Hunter cutting her off wasn't her fault but letting others control her world was.
Not many like Addy Wiley, even if she’s talented. She’s the kind of athlete you root against because of her and her coach’s history.
I think she’d perform better with a different coaching and training setup. More folks would definitely like her.
More fundamentally, she didn’t win. She didn’t position well to avoid the risk that did occur. She was going backwards. She tends to choke at championships with rounds.
Give her a single race like a Diamond League meet and she can do well. But she can’t navigate rounds for some reason.
Would be interesting to see the Diamond League loophole play out, though. For her and Hoey. If for no other reason than it is interesting. But I think she may choke there, too.
Still, of all the folks in the race, I cheer for her the least. I know I’m not the only one.
You are one of the most ardent defenders of Wiley, may I ask why? I understand you are gambling man...you didn't consider her history of coming up short in Eugene? We were told she was a LOCK to make the Olympic team and we were told she was a LOCK to make this years team. Will you consider this in the future?
And, honestly, she was the fastest woman in the field. She ran like a complete neophyte for two races in a row and is on the outside looking in. Hunter cutting her off wasn't her fault but letting others control her world was.
Yup. This. OP is making a lot of excuses, but the result is the result.
Reminds me of when Nordas complained about losing the indoor mile 2 years ago to Beamish and talked about how he had the lowest lactic and should have won.
Has Wiley given any clarity as to her coaching set-up? Has anybody asked her?
As others on this board have pointed out, her ties to Lauren Johnson make it very difficult to be a fan and even trust that her results are on the up and up.
Was she tripped? Is there a protest of some sort? Or did the trip herself up with her own momentum? Anyone have a clip?
She got badly cut off by Hunter, who made a really abrupt and stupid veer for no good reason.
Thanks. I’ve watched it several times. Had this happened in a heat or possibly a semi, she would have protested and likely been advanced to a semi or maybe the final. What might a protest have done here? If they found in her favor then maybe dq Hunter but nothing really to be gained? I’m not convinced there was a foul but it occurred to me I don’t know what the rule book says about situations like this where there’s no real potential compensation to the aggrieved party.
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Front running isn’t completely the answer, but this reminds me of watching the Tour de France and the constant commentary about yellow jersey contenders fighting to be near the front to avoid crashes.
She got badly cut off by Hunter, who made a really abrupt and stupid veer for no good reason.
Thanks. I’ve watched it several times. Had this happened in a heat or possibly a semi, she would have protested and likely been advanced to a semi or maybe the final. What might a protest have done here? If they found in her favor then maybe dq Hunter but nothing really to be gained? I’m not convinced there was a foul but it occurred to me I don’t know what the rule book says about situations like this where there’s no real potential compensation to the aggrieved party.
It's just part of racing in the 800. Nothing can be done for the runner who was fouled or caught up in a fall in the final. It happened last year to Sage when Mu went down.
Has Wiley given any clarity as to her coaching set-up? Has anybody asked her?
As others on this board have pointed out, her ties to Lauren Johnson make it very difficult to be a fan and even trust that her results are on the up and up.
What do you need clarification on?
Lauren Johnson is her coach. End of story.
I won’t go further because all my posts always get deleted, but her current coaching arrangement(s) are no secret.
Yeah, I've always thought this was kind of a major inherent weakness in the sport.
Somebody fouls you and knocks you out in the final, there's really no recourse.
They're not gonna re-run the race, and there's nothing they can advance you to. They could conceivably DQ the perpetrator, but that ain't gonna help you get your race back.
There's nothing you can do.
It's a big incentive for being extra-careful in a final, but obviously people are also inclined to throw caution to the wind in a final.
Ryun in '72, Sage last year, Addy yesterday.
That's why she was crying after the race. It's brutal.
Wiley will demonstrate her form the next time she runs, in a Diamond League meet or whatever. Last year she was coming off injury and subpar. This year was peak. She was going to cruise to that victory yesterday, with the same type of extended stretch drive at the recent Diamond League meets.
After she runs well in the Diamond League posters around here will scramble to rationalize why she was off form at trials. Meanwhile the only thing they'll need to rationalize is why they have no clue what they are looking at, why they reacted to the semifinal as if their was any shred of meaning.
Wiley's problem is that she doesn't have a plug and play strategy like Willis, who is tall but easily slides into good position and can also dart through openings. Wiley is a straight ahead long strider who doesn't have ideal dip and dart agility. She needs a clear path and time to get going. That's why you almost always see her circling on the outside.
Wiley's other issue is that this should have been her year. She was the favorite. Other major talents like Mu and Whitaker were subpar or not interested. Makayla Paige screwed up by not attending. The next edition will logically be much stronger and a more difficult team to make.
I think the short post she made on IG reflects well on her. "I was in position to make this team, but got knocked into with 100m to go." She doesn't say she definitely would have won, she doesn't denounce Meghan Hunter, and she communicates how devastating this was without throwing any kind of pity party.