unless we're talking sprints or hurdles what often happens when you have injuries/ retirements/ suspensions and the field "opens up" like this is the old guard is done but does anyone who finishes top 3 have the olympic number. there are several women with the 9:41 or 10:12 the trials wants. but there is just one runner (jennings) with <9:23 to qualify for the olympics. and sometimes the one with the number isn't the one who "makes the team."
it is early days for this exercise -- they have a few months to get the olympic number -- but when the old guard who go to DL and get the number in their sleep, disappear, it can be back to the drawing board. this is not 100H where probably 90% of the semis will have the right time banked, if they land atop the board, or even 100m where we could make a whole final of eligible women.
and i fight myself on this, because i thought a new set were stepping up, but based on WA's stats, we used to have the 2 down near 9, and we now have a top time at 9:19 and three under 9:30. the winner went sub 9 at DL and coburn wasn't looking competitive to me even before she did whatever she did.