Holding the team trials so far ahead of the global championships requires that athletes peak twice. That time gap between the two championships would seem to be less than ideal.
The only U.S. medal at a distance above 400 meters was a bronze in the women's 10K.
Talent is pouring out of so-called third world countries whose athletes have access to decent training for the first time. This is no anomaly. Timing of US trials has very little impact compared to the expanding pool of elite athletes.
Infeld is my hero of these games, though.
USADA must go!
What happened in 2003? A deep investigation for THG,, with the result of BALCO scandal.
If an American runner needs to plan a major peak to make the American team... Chances are they would be capable of medaling in international competition. With that being said, I do believe they could time it so it better works with athletes training progression.
Stop that trials bla bla bla! No excuses! Kenya are champions!!!!!!!!!!
I think you can tweek the Trials' timing, but this showing - across the board - was just sad. Periodization is so different for all the different events - but as an OTN - Old Track Nut - I've never seen a more pathetic showing for the USA team.
Thank God for USA's 2 hero talents - and humble individuals - Ashton and Allyson..for me this was shocking and the worst WC or OG showing that I can recall. The USA track scene is in really poor shape - sprints-relays-hurdles-vault-throws..you name it. Really curious to see if our team rebounds for Rio.
2 things - I have absolutely GIVEN UP on finding a relay coach or relay members capable of getting the stick around in the mens' 4x100..we have become a punchline. Other countries deliver...ours' deliver excuses..it's something different every DQ..it's just sad. The second is at Gatlin - you want so bad to be The King..The Man...you're not and you won't ever be..you're a cheater and an arrogant little insecure dude who is blind and defensive and abrasive. Bolt is amazing and TRULY confident and always, always comes through. He can elevate his game - without ever testing positive once. Gatlin, your big mouth thought it was wise to poke the bear...that turned out bad for you. Watch the replay of their body language before the 200. Bolt is very tranquil and very ready. Gatlin has his little nervous eyes darting to and fro...and is looking for the exit...he knows the beatdown is about to commence...
USA had a bad showing this year..but if you have access to any archives look up the medal standings for the Olympics - the past 100 years - you'll see the USA at the top...over and over and over....I don't think lowly is the right word.
BTW - with just a few exceptions Kenya is only outstanding in the distance events...usually with Lowly USA sponsorship dollars...Lowly USA road races...Lowly USA university training/coaching...etc....another note...Kenyan runners tested positive for doping this year...something new
Lighten up MikeEM! At least Mr. Gatlin put in the honest work and and made it to the sprint finals and took silver and he seemed very cordial on air during the competition giving credit to whom it was due. Again with the priority of football and basketball in American $ports-Gatlin may be the last great USA 100/200 male sprinter....until the start playing football in the Caribbean countries,
Rank Country Total Population
1 KENYA 7 6 3 16 :) 46,050,000
2 JAMAICA 7 2 3 12 :) 2,717,991
3 UNITED STATES 6 6 6 18 :) 321,719,000
Jamaica... far far away from... Terra!
FYI, other countries don't necessarily have trials. It doesn't mean they underperform or overperform in any sense.
Second thought: if you need to peak just right to qualify at a national level, I am pretty sure you don't stand a chance at worlds.
MikeEM wrote:
but as an OTN - Old Track Nut - I've never seen a more pathetic showing for the USA team.
If you're like 12 or something, maybe.
From 1997-2003, the U.S. flat out sucked at Worlds.
here we go with the population argument again....jeeezz....so i guess china and india should dominate based on population...jamacia has great sprinters....but what other sports...what other events? not diverse...at all....very few exceptions to that...bolt is amazing...but one jam fan said jam would dominate everything if they had funds...long jump doesnt take money...triple jump doesnt take money....1500 doesnt take money...where's your talent in all those events? kenya = distance...jam = sprints/relays...there's 2 dozen events in t and f - expand a little if you want to be a total track power...cuba's woman won the pole vault this year...cuba doesnt have money..they are small....??
You don't know much about the Jamaican sports scene do you. Jamaica did get a bronze in shot put, no? Check out football/ soccer , cricket and even basketball.
Having said that, with our population less than 1% of the US, the multi US sport excuse is a cop out.
Agreed. I always liked the way it worked in high school in my state. You had the qualifying meet, then a weekend off, then states. This allowed you to plan the whole season as a single progression toward your championship meet. If USAFT ran high school track, I guess we'd have districts on the first day of the season, then we'd have the regular season, then we'd have our state championship at the end of all that with the athletes that had been selected in the beginning-of-season district championships.
While I get that a medal contender shouldn't have to plan a major peak to make the team in some events, why put that speed bump out there? An athlete still has to focus on it and plan around it to some extent. Every athlete has their own ideal training schedule. A meaningful race two months out from the championship likely isn't a part of most such plans.
Moving the trials to later in the summer screws over NCAA athletes, especially distance runners. And pros are competing in Europe the entire summer, so if they can't figure out how to run well in June and August, they're in trouble regardless.
did you say honest work? he's a two-time doper and still is in denial...gets pissed if a reporter dares to bring it up...i don't think "honest" and "gatlin" should ever be in the same argument
It is very simple.
Everyone backed off the juice after the multiple doping scandals of 2015.
US athletes are historically some of the most doped, so not surprisingly you really, really suffered!
Great championships for Canada. One-tenth of the population and we out-medaled you.
The Canadian and Kenyan trials were held closer to the World Championship dates. It worked well as both countries improved their medal counts. I'm not implying that was the only factor. But it probably helped.
Down year wrote:
Holding the team trials so far ahead of the global championships requires that athletes peak twice. That time gap between the two championships would seem to be less than ideal.
The only U.S. medal at a distance above 400 meters was a bronze in the women's 10K.
People will scream, but we need a group of people to select the team based on performances throughout the season/year. Not perfect, but it will avoid athletes trying to peak twice or more. That, or hold the trials within three weeks or so of the WC's / Olympics. Brutal but better than 6 to 8 weeks out.