The girl didn't have her flipping timing tags on and didn't realize it until they were on the line! And she nabs a WC spot!
The starters held the race up for several minutes while she ran and put them on. Quote from article on race:
"Thankfully for Nacouzi, race organizers held up the start long enough so she could get timing tags racers attach to their shoes. Nacouzi left them in her bag more than 100 yards from the start.
“It was a little scary,” she said. “I guess that was a little bit of a warm-up. It got the adrenaline running.”'
(article found here:
http://www.pdpreps.com/2011/02/featured/nacouzi-headed-to-world-cross-country-championships/
)
I'm sorry, but shouldn't a coach protest that? Esp. a coach of 7th or 8th place? She was given special attention while others had to wait. This isn't a local 5k that starts a minute late... these runners are prepared and focused and nervous and READY to go when they are supposed to. What kind of runner doesn't put their timing tags on in time?
The starter shoould have started the race on time and honored the preparation of dozens of other runners rather than honoring the scatter-brained behavior of one runner.