DREW HUNTER 8:25 for meet record in B heat

HE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ALLOWED IN THE MEET TO BEGIN WITH.

THE STANDARD WAS 8:01.

HE HAS A TRAVEL BUDGET AND CERTAINLY TEAMMATES TO ASSIST WITH RABBITTING.

JUST GO RUN A QUALIFIER.

It was good for the sport. Exciting story, should have made the A heat work. Creates buzz here.

In any case, it didn't matter. Hunter was the best man and won. He would probably have won the A heat as well anyway if he were allowed in.

He ran 8:25. You really think he didn't meet standard? Were talking about a guy who ran sub 8 3k in HS. Now a 2yr pro you really think he can't better that performance? FOH troll. You don't know jack about standards.

Apples to peaches wrote:

By this standard Cheserek won the US 2Mile with his 1308 5k....

Wait, he’s not a US citizen.

Give the gold to Emmanuel Bor! His 1310 is better than everybody in the 2Mile heats!

Among all of the middle distance competitors, only Drew Hunter gets to wear the 2019 indoor 2-mile National Champ crown. Though many feel sorry that his citizenship request lags, King Ches wears his own crown and must take solace in his impressive successes when they come. Bor chose not to participate, so he has no claim.

Everyone knows that if you don't or can't participate in the USATF championships, you can't be national champ, even if you're a superior runner to the legitimate winner.

Hunter, laughing at the weirdness of it all, still playfully gets to shout to all of his competitors, "Nya, nya, nya, nya! I'm the 2019 Champ, and I didn't make the rules!" Until the end of time, he will be known as National Champ. Can't take that away from him.

So this happened one time, it's not like this is a regular thing in T&F.

Mostly I'm just glad to see the success of these kids that go right from HS to signing a pro contract. I hope this become more and more a standard practice when it comes to the very top talent.

quickndirty wrote:

So this happened one time, it's not like this is a regular thing in T&F.

Mostly I'm just glad to see the success of these kids that go right from HS to signing a pro contract. I hope this become more and more a standard practice when it comes to the very top talent.

Disagree.

Much more success in running by fine tuning your racing ability while in college where the pressure to win and pressure from media is far less. Most importantly, ones’ maturization in a college atmosphere and all the stimulus that goes with concentrated learning and being exposed to people of many different talents is invaluable.

If you are good enough to go pro after college do it. If you are thinking I better take this now because who knows what might happen - think long and hard about forgoing a college education. Unfortunately running doesn’t pay like other professional sports. Very few can make a decent living as a pro runner that provides enough for their future. It is easier said then done going back to school once ones professional athletic career is over. It is easier said then done to train and compete as a professional athlete while studying for a meaningful and salable degree program.

Why rush it? If you truly have it you will have it 4 or 5 years later as well.

Been there and done it.

This may shock you so hold on to your seat but......................

You could be paid as a professional runner AND attend college!!! OMG, just imagine that. You take a few college classes throughout the year, while you train with a professional coach that YOU chose, no pressure to run in some X number of meets per season and you still get to all that stuff like being exposed to different people, maturing, etc..

I know that this will only be available to a few of the most gifted runners, but for those that can do it, I think they should.

Fastest time wins period wrote:

You liberals make me sick, there's no participation trophy for being in the A heat. Do you want everyone to tie as co-champions so no one gets their feelings hurt?

Fastest time wins, period!

What does "liberals" have to do with this?

Fastest time wins a race, agreed. This isn't rocket science. Boo-hoo A heat guys. Way to run like pansies. The dude with the man bun, in the awful Adidas gear is your national champion.

his bun is sub par, but has potential. should have pulled a CU buff pierce move and let the hair fly down with the head band around. His mustache on the other hand is gnarly; 8.7/10. Kid cheated the system, kudos on the dub.

Troll AF wrote:

He ran 8:25. You really think he didn't meet standard? Were talking about a guy who ran sub 8 3k in HS. Now a 2yr pro you really think he can't better that performance? FOH troll. You don't know jack about standards.

Well that’s because he didn’t meet the entry standard. There isn’t much “jack” to know. He had to have a special waiver from USATF because he didn’t meet the standard. Nobody is arguing whether Hunter is good enough. I think the argument is why was he in the race at all and if he was going to be in the slow section he shouldn’t have had his teammates pace him to game the system. Imagine if BTC or NOP did that? Sorry Tinman Elite, lights out.

He wasn’t hurt and he has a nice budget. Get the lousy qualifying time (the standard) and toe the line in the championship race. It’s really not that difficult.

Yuoe wrote:

Cant see the trees wrote:

Every athlete in the fast heat last night had prepared all winter for a championship race. They didn’t prepare to scramble for pace setters and the likes.

First of all, I assume you mean "every athlete in the slow heat", since the fast heat in that case was actually the B heat.

And then, just that you prepared for a specific kind of race doesn't give you the right to complain if it plays out otherwise. What if someone gets in the A heat and runs 8:19? Would you still complain "but they prepared for a tactical race!"

The best man all things considered should win in a championship, and Hunter was very clearly the best man in that day.

This reminds me of my World record vs world championships debates. Where I always say I'd rather hold the world record. Why? because it is always the stronger performance.

For anyone saying he shouldn't have been here. Just ask your self would you have wanted a even slower outcome of the 2 mile? Also he won so he obviously should've been there lol

If you know what time you have to beat to win there are zero excuses.

BTC did pace Hill to a 3k win at USATF 2016. There was only one heat back then, but it was a lame move even then. Hunter’s win was also pretty lame (wasn’t really supposed to be in the meet, and who gets pacing for the slow heat?), but you can’t blame them if it’s not against the rules.

Why doesn't US Indoors allow qualification with outdoor times? They already have relatively weak fields, especially during years where there is no World Indoors. Shouldn't we be encouraging the best US runners to participate? World Indoors has a set of qualifying marks for times run Indoors, but has a tougher set of standards which can be used to qualify based on Outdoor times. Why don't we do that here?

Would you say the same for a Jakob Ingrbrigtsen-type talent? He ran way faster than the NCAA record at the age of a high school junior and would never be pushed in a single race unless he steps down to the 800m. What could he possibly benefit from racing college kids rather than making great money as a pro?

Drew Hunter is almost there. A few more months' growth on that head, a felony, and drive to show The Man, and Drew can run The Jericho Mile!

https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1600/1*mI2Hko_pHrWeo4dfBZfYQA.jpeg

Idiocy. Would you apply the same standard to other young talented people in entertainment? Do you think that musicians or actors should go to college before earning money? That would take out a large percentage of the pop music, tv and movie stars.

Running and sports should be no different than any of those careers. You get paid what the market dictates based on your talent.

Imagine if BTC or NOP did that?

BTC had a couple guys in the 'fast' heat who could have traded leads to push the pace and the time. The Beasts and NJ*NYTC had even more guys who could've worked together. Imagine if all three groups had pushed the pace to hit Hunter's mark. They had hours to come up with a strategy to push Hunter off the podium. They didn't and got out-coached by the Tinmen.