Agreed, we gotta remember 400m is a completely different ballgame for most 100/200 guys, Omanyala got humbled running a 49 earlier this year
Agreed, we gotta remember 400m is a completely different ballgame for most 100/200 guys, Omanyala got humbled running a 49 earlier this year
Based on that, no way can he run a leg outdoors if Quincy Hall, Deadmon, Rai, and Norwood are all available. That being said, 45.6 was probably the best we could do for that leg based on who was at the meet. So it was good to see I suppose.
exactly-good to see Lyles get in an event not in his usual wheelhouse...Boling held his own in my opinion...
Setting himself up to go for the quadruple at the Olympics.
Why allow usernames of actual athletes??? Do better!
Anyone know why Boling was wearing Diadora spikes?
Why not?
Of the 6 men that competed in the heats and finals of 4x4 for USA men, 4 were in the 400 final at USA indoors. Bassitt, the only outlier aside from Lyles, was the fastest non-qualifier from the heats at USA indoors in the 400.
I don't know what the selection process is like exactly but you're making things up if you think that the USA 4x4 runners were "DEI selections", as you put it.
Lyles may have been considered a risky move BEFORE the racebut I'm sure his teammates were perfectly fine with him joining the relay for the final. He was not a weak link. Everybody on the team performed about as well as they could have.
Also, I was pleasantly surprised to hear Noah was going to be on this squad. He's making things exciting. Don't know how feasible it would be for him to be on the 4x4 in Paris given his other racing responsibilities but I sure would love to see it happen if it makes sense.
Grant Holloway was at the meet, and he's run a 43.75 4x400m leg outdoors.
Noah Lyles split a 47 last year btw.
Fast forward to 2:12:
43.75 Make that a 43.4 split for Holloway.
Yeah I mean honestly the question is Grant wanting to race it indoors? It seems like he has lobbied to run the 4x100 pretty consistently. Outdoors everyone wants to run the 4x400 because it’s a gold medal lock pretty much. So I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d fit that as well. Did he tell the powers-that-be he was available and wanted in for this one?
I was initially annoyed at Lyles being in the race, particularly as he lost ground in his leg. But the other posters are correct here ... he ran as well (or better) than any other American would have, who showed up to the meet. Aside from Holloway, who presumably wasn't interested.
I don't think he will be good enough to warrant a spot in the Paris final, but I suppose he can run in the semi, if he wants.
Coulda been worse for Lyle:
Sally Pearson collapses after 4x400m relay (youtube.com)
14 collegiate athletes split faster than Noah Lyles at NCAAs
Athletes from each school that split faster than 45.68:
Kansas State - 1
Texas A&M - 2
Texas Tech - 1
Alabama - 2
Texas - 1
Arizona State - 2
Florida - 2
USC - 2
Arkansas - 1
Noah Lyles really struggled with the turns. If you think that a 19.3 runner who has done 400m in hs will not show up to Paris ready to split 44 flat or better, you have another think coming. Noah Lyles does not fail at what he works at. He just gets better. As of now, he has done nothing in the 400m to guarantee his spot. To get the shot at 4 golds, he'll do what it takes to get to that point.
I'd love to see Grant Holloway on that relay. He could be counted on to give us a better shot at gold and he is so talented at multiple events that it seems as if he is being wasted in going only for the 110m HH, which is after all no guarantee for him like the 60m HH. We saw that in college he had the makings of a potentially great decathlete and certainly a great 400m runner.
truth be told, that team very well may have been better off with Lyles anchoring. he probably did just enough to hold. maybe would have squeezed another half second or more with gold on the line.
Lyles has a lot more to prove if he wants a spot in the 4 x 400m in Paris. If 4 guys run in the 44s at the trials, which is highly likely, Lyles ain’t running. Lyles needs to run a sub 45 this season and hope 4 or 5 other guys don’t run in the 44s at nationals. The leg he ran in Glasgow was decent but definitely not great. He should run better outdoors on a bigger track while training for 100m and 200m. He’s going to need to show a lot more at 400m to get on that relay team for Paris. If he wants to rest on that Glasgow carry, I say no f’ing way he deserves to be on that team.