Opportunity is best had when you step up and take it. This for the US athletes was a one chance in a lifetime to really do something on a world class stage. They pulled off and did it. Congrats to them.
This is a great opportunity to help promote X-country in the US , world visibility will create a flurry of PR and articles post race , can USATF or another body catapult this into something positive to help the sport.