Jake Wightman Out of British Trials Due to Calf Injury

Calf strain?🤦 How does an athlete of his experience not know how to train properly to avoid these things🤷

My critique with Jake is all the travel. As far as I can tell he’s gone from South Africa -> East Coast -> Australia -> UK -> West Coast -> Scandinavia -> East Coast -> UK. I suspect he got paid well for that Australia trip, but it seems superfluous as did the Stockholm 800 and Podium 5K.

A low level calf strain whilst obvs not ideal particularly at this stage might mean that the trials would be a bad thing but in much less than 4 weeks he could be fully restored. Tricky for selectors and him but he seems to have a lot of catch up to do if anything like Eugene 2022 is to happen

have not ever been a competitive runner, i see?

I think the 800m selection might make sense. Pattison obviously would deserve his spot, but Burgin hasn’t run yet, Rowden has looked bad, and Hussey/Randolph haven’t established themselves just yet.

Obviously, you never learned to train properly.

UK selection policy is top 2 as long of they have the standard and then discretionary picks after that with budapest medalists getting priority. So that mostly rules out his selection for 1500 as theres only one discretionary spot, and that will go to Kerr who is doing the 800 at trials. Can see Jake getting the discretionary spot in the 800 as he has the standard this year, and there are no standout alternatives, although if pattison doesn't finish top 2, selection policy would give it to Ben first as a 23 world medallist. Its quite possible that someone without the standard finishes top 2 in the 800 opening up an additianal discretionary spot.

There is also a small chance that a non qualifier finishes in the top 2 in the 1500, meaning a spot for both Jake and Kerr would be available. Think it will be Gourley and Mills (+Kerr) in the 1500, the 800 is crapshoot I'd go with Giles, Pattison (+Wightman) as the team, but anything could happen at trials.

Is he with New Balance?

Giles always under-performs in championships as he blows up in the straight.

But its the British selectors, they are actually also quite likely to leave Wightman behind. Hopefully not, but who knows. He could be very competitive in the 800.

Well I don't know. In the world of people running 1:42 and 1:43, Wightman has run 1:44 and 1:45. While really good for a 1500m runner, not really a competitive result for a 800m guy.

And the only thing you ever learned was how to be a prick.

I agree re Giles that’s my prediction rather than my preference. pretty underwhelming set of choices really. I’d love to see a Burgin special though

Both statements are fair to some extent. The plyos and drills Jake shows on youtube can be pretty intense. Ideal for top level development, yes, but very easy to cross over the line, and he is developing a pattern now of achilles/calf issues from crossing over that line. It's unfortunate.

Jake Wightman Out of British Trials Due to Knowing He Will Never Beat Jakob Ever Again

I hope he joins Athing by watching the Olympics on the couch.

You have to imagine this news is really exciting for a bunch of the bubble guys in this race. Kerr, Wightman, Giles all being out really opens it up. Obviously there's a few favorites in Gourley, Fogg, and Mills - but this will make the trials very exciting seeing guys gun for it with this opportunity.

Real shame for Wightman, would have loved to have him back in the Olympic 1500 this year.

In retrospect it was a great decision for Mills to do the 1500 over the 5000. If Mills makes the 1500 team it will also help the 3rd 5k guy out of Atkin, Dever, Rowe who very well could have been replaced by Mills had Wightman and Gourley went 1,2 at 1500

Wightman in the 800 still seems plausible

I can't believe people are downvoting you. These votes are rigged.🤨

But yeah, people hate me because I don't get injured. That's to be expected. You know what runners are like.🥱

Spoke to Geoff Wightman about this. His explanation was that if he raced through the injury at the Trials, it would probably make it worse and end his season. His only hope to do anything in Paris is to let it heal and hope that he can somehow get a discretionary spot. But Geoff admits that is unlikely in the 1500 and they'd still need some help in the 800.

letsrun.com

Jake Wightman Withdraws From British Trials - His 2024 Olympic Chances Are "Out of His Control Now"

LetsRun.com

The 2022 world champion withdrew from the Britis trials on Friday and will need a lot of help to make it to the Olympics. "It’s all completely out of his control now," Geoff Wightman to LRC. "It depends on results on the week...

Open link