You must be in Finals to go....this *fact* does not seem to appear. Yet I have seen it quoted often. Am I missing the on point passage?
http://www.usatf.org/events/2008/OlympicGames/entry/selectionProcedures_TF.asp
D-Provide a comprehensive, step-by-step description of the method that explains how athletes will go through the selection process to become team nominees.
The following criteria will be used to nominate athletes to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team in Individual events: 1) an athlete's rank order of finish in a designated event at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials; 2) Athletes that have achieved the Olympic "A" qualification standard per IAAF entry rules. (See D2 for exceptions and Attachment B for scenarios)
Rank Order of Finish: All athletes competing in a 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials event will be assigned a rank based upon the order of finish for that event. An athlete must compete in each event in which s/he is entered in order to be assigned a rank. Rank order of finish for an individual event will be established as follows:
Running events: 1) Athletes participating in the final round of competition will be assigned a rank based upon their place- finish in the final of that event: 2) Athletes that do not qualify for the finals will establish their rank order position based on the fastest time achieved in the semi-final round; and 3) Athletes that do not qualify for the semi-finals will establish their rank order position based on the fastest time achieved in the preliminary rounds. An athlete's final ranking will be based upon the highest round completed by an athlete. For relay events see section II.
Field events: 1) Athletes participating in the final round of competition will be assigned a rank based upon their place-finish in the finals; 2) Athletes that do not qualify for the finals will establish their rank order position based on the athlete's best mark achieved in the qualifying round. An athlete's ranking will be based upon the highest round completed by an athlete. If there is a tie in a field event, excluding the high jump and pole vault, the tie will be broken Version 8 (March 13, 2008) 5 by selecting the athlete with the best second mark in that round of competition. Ties in the high jump and pole vault will be broken by a jump off, if possible, 1) immediately after the event but 2) no later than morning following the event, to the extent that it is necessary to nominate a team member in that particular event.
Olympic Standard: The top Ranked Order Finishers as defined in D- 1 (maximum of 3) who have achieved the Olympic "A" standard (see exception in item (b) below) by the end of their event at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials-Track & Field or Men's 50 km Race Walk by July 6, 2008, will be nominated to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team on July 8, 2008 provided they have met the entry guidelines listed below. (see Attachment B)