EKIDEN relays and GB teams

Interesting that the two names that have been hotly disputed on this board regarding their inclusion in the Ekidne team have both just been dropped from lottery funding.

brown and who else ?

how do you know

Compare to

Is there a mistake/omission on the latest release? Seems to be another name no longer on the list.

and mccormick

interesting that serial underachiever chris thompson is funded while proven championship performer dan robinson who has progressed every year over a full olympic cycle isn't or did i miss something ?

It's also interesting that there are no male marathon runners and only three females cited (Radcliffe, Yamauchi & Woods), not even in the 'World Class Talent' area. I really don't believe that UKA has no wish to develop marathoners so the assumption is that they don't even fit the lottery criteria.

To paraphrase what Alan Storey said at an SMCseminar in july, currently (ie in July) Mottram was the only non-African born anywhere on the planet who would meet Lottery Podium criteria in a men's event above 1500. I guess if Ryan hall disovers a UK grandparent and thinks GB is where his heart lies (not that likely I think) he'd get support.

too true

Im really puzzled and dont understand why dan robinson has been left off the funding list. The guy has proven time and time again that he can deliver in major champ marathons.

Yes he may not be the fastest ever, but he is a championship racer and has performed well at all of the recent major champs he has been to. Some of the names on that list need to be scrutinised very carefully and the question asked...why them? but im not going into that, i just think its a shame that numerous 800m guys make the list running okay times- with no championship credentials whatsover and this guy is overlooked.

Is it all fait accompli, or are things reviewed as and when? What happens if Brown, McCormick, East, Lewis-Francis pruduce world class winters?

you can all stop moaning about Jon Brown now, the UKs fastest ever 10K guy and top marathoner is no longer running for Britain.

http://www.letsrun.com/2007/brown1114.php

i bet he was picked for ekiden in the first place to flush him out before of beijing

cant blame him for clearing off though

Does that mean he won`t be running the Ekiden Relays?

Passport Control wrote:

Does that mean he won`t be running the Ekiden Relays?

It does. UKA website says Webb has been put on first leg and Hepples is travelling reserve. Also says Brown withdrew through injury, which given the news released later that day is a little odd!

Ah! the old 'injured' trick so beloved of football teams...

:)

so he isn't going to run fukuoka either?? Why don't UKA just shame him and say he's decided not to run for the country of his birth that he has represented for 36yrs because he's a turncoat and sulking because he's not milking us for lottery money anymore.

JB put in some great performances for GB but continuing the football comparison, I'd rather watch my local team in the blue square league with local lads who want to play than pretend to get excited about Drogba who couldn't give a toss what colour shirt he is playing in - come on Dave Webb

behave you ar5e. Jon Brown has arguably sacrificed many large pay days by focussing on the major champs. He's won Euro XC gold and bronze and euro xc team gold for GB among other things. Hardly 'milking' the lottery money in terms of return on investment - especially in comparison to some of those who have been or continue to be supported and have delivered jack all. The level of support he has recieved is probably nothing to what some of the Japanese guys get and played a small role in him performing as he did. No offense to Dave Webb (apologies to Dave but you used his name as the example) but I don't see us having any other 27.18 10k guys soon (Farah aside - and using your criteria you obviosuly don't give a toss about him as he wasn't born here). I would have thought having JB as a source of knowledge in the GB team would have maybe helped our guys get out of the 'Blue Square League' - that won't happen now as he won't be in the team.

Perhaps its attitudes like yours thats made him think he's more welcome in Canada.

is it just me or is anyone else wandering why on earth Steven hepples is now the travelling reserve?? what has he done to earn this?

Think you will find he ran fast times in the southern and national road relays. Also ran well at the national 10k. That is why he has been picked.