High hopes wrote:
[quote]
Let's be honest, the only BTC athlete who has a chance of a medal in Eugene this year is Frerichs, and that's been the case for the last few glasses back champs (I'm omitting convicted dopers, obviously).
Imagine medaling in Doha , setting the North American record, then medaling again in Tokyo...
... and still being forgotten about on LR. Poor guy.
but with the talent BTC can get and the resources available, you'd expect them to produce more athletes capable of winning global medals.
You know, I could agree with this point, but just replace "BTC" with "the USA." BTC doesn't have many medal threats in the distance events right now, but outside of the 800m, the whole of the USA basically has Paul Chelimo, Courtney Frerichs, and maybe Emma Coburn if she bounces back. Hocker could turn into something, Fisher is young, and his 6th place showed promise, but the cupboard is pretty bare on the track. Given the massive talent base and the best resources in the world, you would indeed expect to produce more athletes capable of winning global medals.
In the last decade, Americans athletes in the 1500 and up in world/Olympic competition have taken:
Women's 1500m:
4/24 possible medals - all Jenny Simpson
Women's 5000m:
0/24
Women's 10000m:
1/24 medals - Emily Infeld (BTC)
Women's Steeplechase:
5/24 - 3 x Emma Coburn, 2 x Courtney Frerichs (BTC)
Women's Total: 10/96 medals - BTC 3/10 US medals.
Men's 1500m:
4/24 - Centrowitz x 3, Manzano x1
Men's 5000m:
3/24 - Chelimo x2, Lagat x1
Men's 10000m:
1/24 - Rupp x1
Men's Steeplechase:
2/24 - Jager x2 (BTC)
Men's Total: 10/96 medals - BTC 2/10 US medals.
Total - 20/192 medals, BTC 5/20. So more medal winning Americans than any other club in the last decade. If I remember right, 10/24 spots on the Tokyo team men/women 1500-10000 were taken by BTC athletes.
To balance the fact that I just spent way too long unfortunately simping for BTC, I'll throw in my hot take that I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't exist or if Schumacher wasn't coaching it come the Paris Olympics.