Most hyped accomplished least track athlete?

Dunder the Cover wrote:

Meb - two great races amidst a relatively competitive (NATIONAL level) career. Sold for his name, just like Dean. Overhyped for the end of his career.

So which one was not a "great" race? Olympic silver, NYC or Boston?

A personal example. In highschool I was a county/ region runner up 7 times. The one 3200 region title I won was because the kid who went on to qualify for footlocker the next year had decided to do baseball and wasn't in perfect shape. The only two county titles I won was because a certain highschool national record holder decided not to run the 16/32. Heard to really feel like I was the champion of the area

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These people who say that running a fast time and not winning are "losers" are complete morons. Reason being is that "winning" is all a function of the level of your competition.

My story is kind of like yours in that I went to what is now a 6A suburban school. I busted my ass and trained hard to get to about a 4:30 mile in HS. In any big meet I'd come in between third and six with that time. I think I got third when I PR'd at 4:30. So that makes me a "loser".

Meanwhile I used to joke with my dad about why we couldn't move back to the tiny class B town he grew up in. I could have trained half as hard... run 4:40ish and still won the state meet by 10 seconds. According to these guys in that scenario I would have been a "winner".

You got it. So the small class kid in state A who wins in 4:40 is better than the kid who steps on the track 15 minutes later and finishes 2nd in the large class running 4:10.

go go away wrote:

You got it. So the small class kid in state A who wins in 4:40 is better than the kid who steps on the track 15 minutes later and finishes 2nd in the large class running 4:10.

Track & Field at the high school level is designed to determine a team champion. Individual champions are a by-product of this. That is why there are size classifications, for teams not individuals. In that context, the small school 4:40 is better because he outscored the 4:10, 10 points to 8 toward his team's score. National and postseason meets are for individuals and obviously the 4:10 is superior.

jeff tallon wrote:

sydney mclaughlin.over hyped beyond belief,and everybody assumes she's the next olympic champion,and breaker of multiple world records.that might end up happening,but 99% of time with teen phenoms,it doesnt.

Olympic team at 16. Youngest track athlete on an Olympic team in 36 years. Silver medal and second fastest performer and fastest leg on 4x400m relay at the world championships.

Are you a troll or clueless? You pick.