The field underestimated Eilish McColgan. And she made them pay for it. I imagine more British records can be achieved by Eilish. She's ran solo without pacers on the road and setting records. If she ever decides to use pacers she could break more records in the future.
There's only two records left for her: the 10000m and the marathon, she already has the rest. I can safely say she won't be getting the marathon record given it stands at 2:15
We've long said that one of the problems our sport faces is that most meets you are watching really are practice. We got proof of that today the Ethiopians focused on beating themselves since this served as their Trials race and let McColgan get ahead early.
Former WR holder Almaz Ayana didn't make the Ethiopian team as she was the 5th Ethiopian across the line.
PLACE NAME NAT. MARK 1 Eilish MCCOLGAN GBR 30:19.02 2 Letesenbet GIDEY ETH 30:44.27 3 Ejgayehu TAYE ETH 30:44.68 4 Margaret Chelimo KIPKEMBOI KEN 30:45.00 5 Bosena MULATE ETH 30:47.55 6 Girmawit GEBRZIHAIR ETH 30:47.72 7 Almaz AYANA ETH 30:48.48 8 Yalemzerf YEHUALAW ETH 30:54.28 9 Rahel DANIEL ERI 30:59.75 10 Tsehay GEMECHU ETH 31:00.26 11 Hawi FEYSA ETH 31:03.32 12 Tsigie GEBRESELAMA ETH 31:04.88 13 Caroline Chepkoech KIPKIRUI KAZ 31:13.18 14 Abersh MINSEWO ETH 31:13.53 15 Stella CHESANG UGA 31:13.72 16 Eva CHERONO KEN 31:16.93 17 Anchialem HAYMANOT ETH 31:50.08 18 Natsnet AMANUEL ERI 31:50.79 19 Meraf BAHTA SWE 31:51.53 20 Dolshi TESFU ERI 32:01.16 21 Asnakesh AWOKE ETH 32:02.00 22 Francine NIYOMUKUNZI BDI 32:32.14 Esther CHEBET UGA DNF
In other action, Faith Kipyegon won the 800 over world champ Halimah Nakaayi (2:00.36 to 2:00.87), Mondo Duplantis won the PV (6.01), Anderson Peters broke 90m again (90.75), Femke Bol set a meet record in the 400h (53.94), world champ Peruth Chemutai won the steple (9:14.00).
No, I think it’s a bit odd to have athletes from different nationalities in there. Not much material impact on the men’s race and we can agree it’s better than how they’re selecting their 5000m team, right?
Believe it or not, the United States used to allow non-US citizens to compete in the US national championships. For example, Nick Rose (UK citizen) defeated Craig Virgin in winning the 1977 AAU Cross Country Championship race, and Merlene Ottey (citizen of Jamaica) won the 100m and 200m at the 1984 TAC Championships.
A bizarre take. How was that race practice? OK you can say Eilish was in an event of her own, but she went went as hard as she could for as long as she could against the clock for a huge PB. It was race against time, not really competition. Still considering she wasn't rabbited and there was no safety net for her like in a practice, it was a creditable performance.
The Ethiopians and a few other racers battled each other for 3 spots with no pacemaker and positioning against each other all that matters.
Practice is carefully orchestrated, but this had no orchestration. It was a real race and places 4th and 5th I'm sure aren't happy with how it went.
With your first line, I'd think of a race with 1 finisher (2 hr marathon, New Balance DMR, Bowerman 4x1500) or a race where every detail is ironed out for a time trial (e.g. some time trial attempts).
At a normal sporting event, there is a team that wins and there is a team that loses. In most running events, the win is largely meaningless - hence it's more like practice or maybe I should have said a pre-season game.
The Ethiopians didn't care at all that McColgan beat them.
For those who think my logic is bizarre. Please tell me another regular season sporting event where the competitors show up, people pay to watch them play and the athletes lose largely on purpose. Perhaps 'practice' wasn't the best word to use but one of tracks' main problems is that most meets don't mean anything. This one actually meant something for the Ethiopians but something different for McColgan.
. Perhaps 'practice' wasn't the best word to use but one of tracks' main problems is that most meets don't mean anything. This one actually meant something for the Ethiopians but something different for McColgan.
Rojo, it's a bit binary to say 'most meets don't mean anything' They mean what they mean, Winning a DL means that, no more no less. And you sort of undermine your own case by then picking out two different meanings for just this one race. I can't speak for the Hengelo paying spectators but assuming a bit of athletics background in many of them, they'd know that 30.19 by a woman not from Rift Valley is fantastic and rare running. No doubt Eugene W10,000 won't be a carbon copy of this but if we agree that the mental aspect is a big deal in elite performance then surely this MEANT something important to McColgan. And yeah, we can ask if she would trade this for a World Champs Gold in 33.19
So their officals can all go on a trip and make some money at the same time.
There may be many reasons. Having visited Addis I think it’s partly the altitude (7726’). Those who run well there don’t always run well in the lower elevations where major events are held. Turmoil factors in sure. And nice venues happy to welcome Ethiopians running fast can’t hurt.
The field underestimated Eilish McColgan. And she made them pay for it. I imagine more British records can be achieved by Eilish. She's ran solo without pacers on the road and setting records. If she ever decides to use pacers she could break more records in the future.
There's only two records left for her: the 10000m and the marathon, she already has the rest. I can safely say she won't be getting the marathon record given it stands at 2:15
She will need male pacers with her speed . If Woody K gets fitted with a new diaphragm , he could put down 8 x 3:00min klm and Eilish could run a sub 30.