This thread was initially titled, "Sydney McLaughlin Brussels 400/200". Update on 9/4. The Diamond League will NOT let Sydney run as explained here: https://www.letsrun.com/news/2...
Not 100% sure how DL rules work, but I know the winner tends to get an automatic bye into the following years WC. If Sydney wins either the 200 or the 400 (or both) will she technically get the bye in since USA does not have the defending WC?
The interesting thing in the 200m Standings is it looks like Gabby Thomas doesn't have a spot but I would expect Richardson and Jackson to not run it. For the 400m standings it seems fair to give Sydney the entry though you could argue Amber Anning for the Wildcard. It does look like she would get the bye to Worlds if she wins. I don't know if she can beat Paulino though. If Gabby isn't in the 200 then I think only Brown could beat her(assuming Jackson is still hurt/season over). Personally I'd like Gabby to get the 200m bye so she can worry about only peaking at Worlds which she isn't the best at. https://www.diamondleague.com/fileadmin/IDL_Silesia/user_upload/Rome_2024-_QualificationStanding.PDF
No one. Pro sport is star driven and Sydney is one of the biggest stars in track.
Please don't @ me with she never races; any time she does it's an event, and now the DL Final will be a better spectacle, just like when Athing received the wildcard in 2023.
The interesting thing in the 200m Standings is it looks like Gabby Thomas doesn't have a spot but I would expect Richardson and Jackson to not run it. For the 400m standings it seems fair to give Sydney the entry though you could argue Amber Anning for the Wildcard. It does look like she would get the bye to Worlds if she wins. I don't know if she can beat Paulino though. If Gabby isn't in the 200 then I think only Brown could beat her(assuming Jackson is still hurt/season over). Personally I'd like Gabby to get the 200m bye so she can worry about only peaking at Worlds which she isn't the best at.
The interesting thing in the 200m Standings is it looks like Gabby Thomas doesn't have a spot but I would expect Richardson and Jackson to not run it. For the 400m standings it seems fair to give Sydney the entry though you could argue Amber Anning for the Wildcard. It does look like she would get the bye to Worlds if she wins. I don't know if she can beat Paulino though. If Gabby isn't in the 200 then I think only Brown could beat her(assuming Jackson is still hurt/season over). Personally I'd like Gabby to get the 200m bye so she can worry about only peaking at Worlds which she isn't the best at.
Paulino just ran 48.17, so no she won't get run over. But I think SML can run close to that time, it should be a great race. 48.75 in her only 400 of the year on a windy day in New York, the AR should be gone if she has held onto fitness from Worlds.
I'm thrilled SML is doing this. The 400 instantly becomes one of the must-watch events of the DL final and it's even better than she's doubling up.
That said, the DL rules specifically say that in order to be awarded a "Global Wild Card" for the final (which is what is happening here), an athlete must have competed in at least one Diamond League competition this year, which SML clearly has not. Best thing for the sport here is for SML to run in the meet, but the entire point of having a rule like that is to prevent what SML is doing -- skipping the entire season and then showing up to the final on a whim. What is the point of having a rule like that if you're not going to enforce it?
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the absolute athletics star of the Paris Olympics, is coming to the Allianz Memorial Van Damme! It’s a unique opportunity for athletics fans worldwide, as it will be her only meeting after Paris. Sh...
I'm thrilled SML is doing this. The 400 instantly becomes one of the must-watch events of the DL final and it's even better than she's doubling up.
That said, the DL rules specifically say that in order to be awarded a "Global Wild Card" for the final (which is what is happening here), an athlete must have competed in at least one Diamond League competition this year, which SML clearly has not. Best thing for the sport here is for SML to run in the meet, but the entire point of having a rule like that is to prevent what SML is doing -- skipping the entire season and then showing up to the final on a whim. What is the point of having a rule like that if you're not going to enforce it?
They seem to be pretty loose with enforcement of DL rules. Didn't they add the Global Wild Card last year just so Jakob could run the 3K at the DL Final?
I don't have a problem with it tbh. This sport is so marginal outside of the Olympics, if the biggest athletes want to run and bring attention to this sport more than once every 4 years I say let them. Though I would probably be upset if I was the athlete getting bumped
I'm thrilled SML is doing this. The 400 instantly becomes one of the must-watch events of the DL final and it's even better than she's doubling up.
That said, the DL rules specifically say that in order to be awarded a "Global Wild Card" for the final (which is what is happening here), an athlete must have competed in at least one Diamond League competition this year, which SML clearly has not. Best thing for the sport here is for SML to run in the meet, but the entire point of having a rule like that is to prevent what SML is doing -- skipping the entire season and then showing up to the final on a whim. What is the point of having a rule like that if you're not going to enforce it?
They seem to be pretty loose with enforcement of DL rules. Didn't they add the Global Wild Card last year just so Jakob could run the 3K at the DL Final?
I don't have a problem with it tbh. This sport is so marginal outside of the Olympics, if the biggest athletes want to run and bring attention to this sport more than once every 4 years I say let them. Though I would probably be upset if I was the athlete getting bumped
And the 3K didnt exist either until Jakob requested it. Was supposed to be a 5K
Not loving the special treatment for Sydney. She gets rewarded for not racing and advanced to the DL final? Not fair one bit. How much money was paid under the table for this?
The interesting thing in the 200m Standings is it looks like Gabby Thomas doesn't have a spot but I would expect Richardson and Jackson to not run it. For the 400m standings it seems fair to give Sydney the entry though you could argue Amber Anning for the Wildcard. It does look like she would get the bye to Worlds if she wins. I don't know if she can beat Paulino though. If Gabby isn't in the 200 then I think only Brown could beat her(assuming Jackson is still hurt/season over). Personally I'd like Gabby to get the 200m bye so she can worry about only peaking at Worlds which she isn't the best at.
Not loving the special treatment for Sydney. She gets rewarded for not racing and advanced to the DL final? Not fair one bit. How much money was paid under the table for this?
More like how much money are they paying Sydney under the table?
You do realize that the athletes participating in the meet are professionals, right? They're just paid in the open. There's no need to pay them "under the table."
I'm kind of stunned by this. This is TOTALLY against DL rules which state to be eligible for a wild-card, you have to run a DL regular season meet. So you make an exception for someone who is going to be the face of a rival track league?
It makes me wonder if Brussels is going to be part of Grand Slam Track in 2025. Thoughts?
