Webb's 1500m withdrawal

From David Monti

© 2009 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

EUGENE (28-Jun) -- The manager for USA mile record holder Alan Webb says his client won't contest today's 1500m final at the USA Outdoor Championships here.

"Alan hurt his left hamstring during Thursday's 1500m warm up," said Ray Flynn of Flynn Sports Management through a written statement. "He further strained it during the race. The decision was made after extensive therapy with Dr. Justin Whittaker that he could not compete in today's race."

This is yet another setback for the 26 year-old Webb who had hoped to make it to the IAAF World Championships this year after failing to qualify for last year's Olympic Games (he finished fifth in the USA Olympic Trials). Webb looked solid in the opening round here, closing hard in the third of four heats to finish second by a whisker over USA indoor 3000m champion David Torrence in 3:42.35.

In a relative sense, Webb's job of qualifying for Berlin was made easier here because defending world 1500m champion Bernard Lagat did not contest the 1500m. Instead, Lagat ran the 800m first round to fulfill a USATF requirement that he at least participate in this meet to use his bye into the world championships.

Webb, who lives in Reston, Va., last competed in a global championship in Osaka in 2007 where he finished 8th in the 1500m final. In 2007 he surpassed Steve Scott's USA mile record by running 3:46.91 in Brasschaat, Belgium.

runner_pucci wrote:

for some reason I am going to say that "Uh..." will not care about proper spelling... I am just guessing though.

I know, I know, but I can't bear to see that error. Easily baited.

worth thinking about. you are definitely correct when you say that if he were moroccan or ethiopian or regina jacobs everyone would be losing their shit.

the thing that keeps me from believing that webb was on drugs was that he ran 3:53 in high school. those drugs are just too expensive (i think) for a high schooler, and as a coach it would really sadden me to think that these kinds of drugs have trickled down to the kids.

What world do you live in?!! There are 20,000 high school footballers in Texas, Flordia and California who regularly use steroids and this has been the case for 3 decades. Once 12 week cycle that can take one from 3:59 to 3:53 in once race costs only 300 dollars.

hjghgj wrote:

It is a great disappointment for anyone who enjoys track and field to see Alan Webb continue to struggle.

The mean and disgusting things people have written on this thread are a much greater disappointment. In all the years I've been a runner I've never come across anyone who I could imagine would write anything so shitty about another runner. Has the sport changed so much since I was younger?

Those of you writing this garbage take a good look in the mirror and think about why you have this evil hate inside. Is that really who you are? In the quest to be the world's greatest anonymous comedians you are falling flat on your face and debasing yourselves, making a joke out of what was once a great website, and discrediting the sport.

Agreed. Making fun of Alan Webb has started to become pretty tired and now that he is almost officially hit bottom people are turning to Rupp to look for someone to bash. I think what people will realize now is the whole thing is more tragic than anything. You have a guy who competed at the top for once and the majority of people chose to rip on him and take complete pleasure in his downfall. It's really sad that it seems a lot of fans would prefer the US remain behind the pack in world competition. Lord knows if a guy does compete with the top guys he'll be ripped apart on these boards.

These boards are the worst thing to happen to elite running in the US. They are also the best thing to happen to elite running in the US. It's FUBAR.

Er... wrote:

Wow. That's a HUGE disappointment. Any word on what the injury is?

Word is that he tweaked a hamstring in warmup for the semi and aggravated it more in the race.

Not the first time he's had hamstring issues.

I'll never understand people who are so eager to see someone fail.

I totally agree. He's a huge talent who's had too many frustrating setbacks. But rather than expressing valid criticism (for example, suggesting coaching changes, altitude training or the like), these boards have become a forum for baseless drug speculation (where's the positive sample) and even worse, pure hatred. Is it simply sour grapes of wannabes that have never and will never break 4:00? If Webb is such a sad sack, then grow a pair, train like a real man, and run faster than him. If you can't even qualify for USA Champioinship meet or even you State's high school championship, then please do the sport a favor and stfu.

It's very sad to see this great talent's career fade away the way it has over the past couple of years. No disrespect to Lomong and Manzano, but they don't have half of Webb's talent and the odds of them doing anything at Worlds, at least this year, are very slim.

Food for thought. If I'm not mistaken, Webb has a better 800 PR than the guy who won the 800 (Symmonds) and a better 10K PR than the guy who won the 10K (Rupp). Not to mention his great PR's and American records at 1500 through 5K. Sad to see such an unbelievable talent not reach his full potential. I suppose he could still make another comeback, but I don't see it.

hjghgj wrote:

It is a great disappointment for anyone who enjoys track and field to see Alan Webb continue to struggle.

The mean and disgusting things people have written on this thread are a much greater disappointment. In all the years I've been a runner I've never come across anyone who I could imagine would write anything so shitty about another runner. Has the sport changed so much since I was younger?

Those of you writing this garbage take a good look in the mirror and think about why you have this evil hate inside. Is that really who you are? In the quest to be the world's greatest anonymous comedians you are falling flat on your face and debasing yourselves, making a joke out of what was once a great website, and discrediting the sport.

Somehow the retarded fags running this site seems to get a kick out of the garbage, otherwise they would have obligatory registration by now.

Lets ban all threads about Webb and hair. It is simple, just right a php script denying the two words Webb and hair from appearing in the same thread.

I wish Webb the best and hope that the running community will show him more support.

If you had the chance to talk with Webb right now, what would you tell him? That he should stick a fork in his leg, because he is done? I definitely would not.

I would encourage him.

I would point to athletes who have had incredible success at later stages in their careers. Webb is only 26. El G won 2 golds in '04 when he was about 30. Lagat doubled at the world championships in '07 when he was about 33. KD, who is still running well, ran 1:43 for 800 in '06 when he was 30.

A bright future can still be ahead for Webb! I would suggest for the running community to not make Webb's disappointment for failing to meet expectations any worse than what he is feeling internally.

On a small level, I can relate to Webb because of the pressure, stress, and disappointment I felt after failing to live up to expectations when years ago I lost the state championship in 1600m after entering the race as the top seed. I simply had a bad race - I got sixth I think. But I felt miserable about it for months. I'm so grateful for kind people who supported me when I was down.

Webb, despite in inconsistency, is undeniably one of the most talented American mid-distance runners ever, and I hope that the community can do everything possible to support and encourage him to reach his potential. Maybe he should join Rupp and Ritz in training... maybe he should lose 10-15 pounds... whatever the answers are for him to get back on track, I believe that he is more likely to find and implement them with the support of many good people in the running community.

Author: hjghgj

Subject: RE: Webb's 1500m withdrawal

Message:

It is a great disappointment for anyone who enjoys track and field to see Alan Webb continue to struggle.

The mean and disgusting things people have written on this thread are a much greater disappointment. In all the years I've been a runner I've never come across anyone who I could imagine would write anything so shitty about another runner. Has the sport changed so much since I was younger?

Those of you writing this garbage take a good look in the mirror and think about why you have this evil hate inside. Is that really who you are? In the quest to be the world's greatest anonymous comedians you are falling flat on your face and debasing yourselves, making a joke out of what was once a great website, and discrediting the sport.

____________________________________________________________

Well stated. Big thanks from another running fan that is sad to see so many hate filled threads against the US's best talent. I wish Webb, Rupp, Ritz, Symmonds, Robinson, Manzano, etc. the best.

To the haters, I don't think there are too many posters from Nairobi. They are training though.

just a reminder what he looked like in '07 going 1:43 for 800.

A few points-

People can legitimately critique stars in their favorite sport, especially under-performing ones.

Wondering about drug use is not unique to Webb - it is the norm for any elite athlete, thanks to the sins of the past. If we awaited a positive test before speculating on drug use, Marion Jones (among others) would still be a legend.

Those things being said, there's no reason to be insulting about it (as some certainly are.

But if fans can't talk about why a great talent is fading in front of them, why be a fan? It's not my job to blindly support any American, especially when their career is in a tailspin.

This guy posts the same "speech" every few months. Actually, with all the PC brainwashing, and the politics in track (and it ain't about money folks) people will only scream about drugs if it is a European, "white" American, Japanese or Chinese athlete. Cheating Africans running under the tutelage of such pillars of honesty as Gabriele Rosa, Jos Hermens, Dr. Weldemeskil Kostre are given a pass. And officials give these poor folks a pass, as they do with others from certain countries, like Cuba for instance. I suspect this bone-smoker is part of the tribal crew that is ordered to engage in their anti-white etc posting as part of their mandated "internet monitoring". They need a new playbook. The Hasbara playbook is getting old, as is their annoying, hidden, hypocritical racism.

Ehm,

Since the most common (and remedial) comeback seems to be attacking "speech", it might enlighten you to know that outside of America where people actually speak English properly, that the correct spelling is with a double "e".

On the actual topic, this thread is not about Africans, or Morrocans, or Chinese. This thread is about Alan Webb.

Of course there are lots of Chinese and Russian and Africans cheating, but then again so are and so have, many Americans. I couldn't care less about positive drug tests because they mean NOTHING (first case in point I can be bothered referencing - Marion Jones). There is no way this bald, shuffling, frog-in-a-blender "miler" ran the 9th fastest all time mile AND a sub 1.44 800 meters and is now so bad he only just scrapes into the US 1500m final which he doesn't even bother to start.

You good sir, are a complete "ass wrecker" of a guy.

I'd be willing to bet that at least half of the negativity about Webb would not exist if he or his coach gave an interview or talked about training every now and then.

When was the last time they ever granted an interview?

The silence from Webb and Razcko since the Olympic trials debacle has definitely fueled a lot of the negative speculation.

I agree, how about Craig Mottram, he hasn't done S*** lately and knobody is on his case because he has " Big Balls"

This guy posts the same "speech" every few months. Actually, with all the PC brainwashing, and the politics in track (and it ain't about money folks) people will only scream about drugs if it is a European, "white" American, Japanese or Chinese athlete. Cheating Africans running under the tutelage of such pillars of honesty as Gabriele Rosa, Jos Hermens, Dr. Weldemeskil Kostre are given a pass. And officials give these poor folks a pass, as they do with others from certain countries, like Cuba for instance. I suspect this bone-smoker is part of the tribal crew that is ordered to engage in their anti-white etc posting as part of their mandated "internet monitoring". They need a new playbook. The Hasbara playbook is getting old, as is their annoying, hidden, hypocritical racism.

_______________________________

Agree completely with the above.

The africans didn't get good (as in winning everything) until the European coaches started showing up bringing their 'doping' knowledge along with them.

The IAAF is a joke, it shouldn't be funded, and hopefully this recession will rape its money flows and the supposed 'African' dominance in distance running will be exposed for what it really is-

poor testing is sub-Saharan nations.