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

My apologies, but I’d like to amend my OP and thread title. Heidesch didn’t get shoved or pushed, he was PUNCHED IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD.

Just my opinion after watching the video forward/backward, slow mo a couple times:

City High had the pole and the advantage. Dowling was leaning in hard on him off the turn beig a d!ck since they had the whole backstretch to sort it out. City kid about tripped over the curb with no place to go and Dowling kept leaning in. City kid retaliated and threw his skinny a$$ to the track. Basically got rick rolled. I dont blame him but it was wrong to retaliate. Should have given him the lead then kicked his butt fair and square since he split 1:51 at Drake and was capable of doing so.

The main problem I see is cramming 16 kids on a waterfall start for the fastest race out of lanes. NASCAR will happen. Ive always felt this was a jr high approach to a chamlionship race just to get more participants.

IF the Dowling kid had been dqd as well, and definitely should have been, they drop back 16 points and would have still won the meet but that jerk wouldnt have been able to celebrate as much. Neither learned anything from that experience worthy of fair competition. One still feels cheated and the other unrightly entitled. Recruited parochial kid wins.

I’ve never heard of a runner getting to run their own time trial. Is that a real rule? Is it exercised regularly?

trust me, it happens. but yeah it's rare.

Agree 100%, that is exactly what happened. Definitely shouldn't have punched him but giving him a small shove to move him out of the way would have been perfectly fine.

They both should have been disqualified for the race. The first guy through his arm into him and the other guy punched him. Of the course the retaliatory punch was worse. That guy should be disqualified not just for the race but for the meet and there should be discipline by his school.

Props to the little guy, even though the DQ is warranted. He knocked down a guy, what, at least six inches taller or more? Don’t let them push you around, my man!

I think it was the right outcome for the puncher. I'm surprised the punchee was able to run solo. He really should've been dq'd from the event (but allowed to continue competing in the meet) as well.

Hitting someone in the back of the head from behind is certainly a DQ. Clip his feet, push with the back of your hand at waist level, you can get away with that but hitting his head is just dumb.

I don’t think the number of people in the field really changes this much. They were both fighting for pol position. It was totally unnecessary for Heidesch to cut in at this point, he had the whole backstretch to get more space. The only tactical reason is to try and slow it down, which doesn’t seem like his strategy. I think this is just high schoolers doing high schoolers.

*12

I watched it live as it happened. I'm also a City High alum so I'm biased. Dowling kid should have been DQ'd. I bet their coach threw an absolute fit to get his way. I expect nothing less from Dowling.

Also of note - Rerun was originally slated to be run ~1 hr before the 1600m final to fit in schedule with an open time gap in the meet. Dowling pushed for the 800 TT to be ran following the 4x400 which the officials happily agreed to.

Dowling damn near tackled the kid, they both should have been DQ'd.

Sounds like there is a lot of favoritism at these meets and Dowling always gets whatever they want.

It's the most stereotypical case of the Rich Catholic schools that recruits whatever (football) talent they want. This is just the cherry on top.

Heidesch looked to be at fault.

Dowling kid made initial contact that was unwarranted. Punching him was also unwarranted but you also shouldn’t fall to the ground from one punch, seems like an all around stupid situation caused by a waterfall start 800. Never understood why the 800 would ever be run not in lanes.

Seems pretty typical that the Dowling kid gets a rerun, everyone in iowa hates Dowling. Jackson should have been DQd and not able to rerun the event. Iowa City kid should have also been DQd but not for the rest of the meet, I think that’s egregious.

Any chance of a rematch between these two in the future?