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...
The amusing outcome would be if, after all this, she DNS. I'm pretty sure Brussels would have had a 400m B race anyway, because of their depth in female 400m runners, so they haven't put on a special non DL event just for her like they are implying.
The other amusing element is McLaughlin committing herself to the Grand Slam Track League, or whatever it's called, upfront. So she has committed to run 2 races in each of the 4 meetings. Considering her penchant for DNS's, this will be interesting. The good news for her? Two of the four meetings will be in the US - woopee for Kersee - but at least one will be in Europe. I wonder if the European meet will be before or after the Global Championships....if the former, will she even start? She has to face that oh so perilous plane journey across the Atlantic...
The funny thing about this is, as another poster has said, meetings like Brussels virtually sell out weeks, if not months, in advance. It's an extremely popular meeting in Europe. The fans that bought tickets wont care if McLaughlin doesn't run, because a huge number of top stars WILL run.
McLaughlin really isn't that popular globally and few people know her because she chooses to only race in the US. Maybe she is big(ger) in the US. That's great. Then fill yer boots with more US races.
As for Michael Johnsons nonsense track league...does he really think a league with zero field events & virtually no distance events will continue globally, when the RoW outside the USA loves the field & distance events? I see his league becoming the 'American Sprint Track League' and then disappearing after a couple of seasons when the financial backers withdraw...
Oh you're smoking something good if you think she's not popular and only a few people know her. She's well known around the world. You slow whiny distance lames are jealous because nobody outside of this site could tell you who won the distance races but everyone knows Sydney dominated and won. She does more for this sport than all distance runners combined. Must be tough facing the facts and pouting about them.
Wiedenganger is a well-known hater of SML. He/she is absolutely obsessed with SML's every action.
re "they announced it," my guess is the free wheeling belgian promoter made a deal with sydney to run, with an appearance fee promised, at which point, if some stickler shoves in and says, waaaaaaaaah i pooped my baby pants, translated as, "technically the finals rules say she has to run a meet....etc," and they pull her from the open 400 A, their choices became hand her a check for nothing -- a deal is a deal -- or include her in an exhibition or B portion of the meet to get their money's worth.
re the guy saying she will DNS, if she wanted to skip and was willing to kiss the money off, she had her "out" when the stickler arrived. oh, ok, fine, rules (wanders off). she maybe does even fewer DL next year as punishment. if she is being included as the price of getting her fee, duh, she starts unless she hurts herself. otherwise like the guy said, she could be 2 feet up in a recliner with all she's done this season.
as i said before, i get this more as protecting DL from the american series, than i do as stickler for the sake of stickler.