What excuses? She was the most decorated high school distance runner of all time and is now an extremely succussful college distance runner. Excuses are for the people that lose.
Your excuse about super shoes. Did you read your own post? Cook and Hutchins were faster than Tuohy in high school. Now Tuohy hasn't broken any recors even though wearing cheater shoes.
19 year old natalie cook had age advantage and super shoe advantage yet cant even break any of katelyn's records, apprently she failed to break 16 y.o katelyn tuohy's 3200m record
Zola Budd later also raced in spikes, e.g. in inclement conditions at the Euro 1986. But I have seen one video of a XC race where she obviously slips a lot barefoot (but still did well, not sure if she won it). Not sure if she ran the 4:17 mile also barefoot but certainly some 2000m races (this distances was more popular then with 3000m the longest "official" track race for women).
There are some subtle things about Tuohy that speak to her character. Immediately handing the team trophy to her teammates. In the team photos, staying on the far left or right. From the NYT article, only wanting to know how the team was doing.
For all those who said NC St was the wrong school for her, the results seem to indicate otherwise. This school, coach, atmosphere is helping her realize results from the talent she has.
Nobody said it was the wrong school. Everyone said it was the right school because she focuses on running. She isn't a Stanford or ND or Michigan girl who focus first on academics and secondly on running. Tuohy would not have achieved her running goals at those rigorous academic institutions.
On rubber track, barefoot is a fine fast lightfooted way to run a 5000. Probably faster than the spikes of the 1980s. Maybe even now... but no ShoeCo dollars. Just need to adjust a bit. Zola was certainly used to it.
Zola Budd later also raced in spikes, e.g. in inclement conditions at the Euro 1986. But I have seen one video of a XC race where she obviously slips a lot barefoot (but still did well, not sure if she won it). Not sure if she ran the 4:17 mile also barefoot but certainly some 2000m races (this distances was more popular then with 3000m the longest "official" track race for women).
Kipyegon also ran XC barefoot. She won her first world jr title at age 17 running barefoot.