Proofs & the Lack Thereof
Posted by Jimmie R. Markham | July 5, 2008
[Note: If you're not familiar with the controversy surrounding the Olympic Trials men's 10000m final, then read this article first for context.]
By running a respectable 7th place finish as well as a PR of 27:59.31 in the men’s 10000m final of the 2008 US Olympic Trials, Adam Goucher proved he belonged in the field. At the same time, Joe Driscoll, Rod Koborsi, Joshua Moen, James Strang, Jeremy Johnson, Forest Braden, Michael Eaton weren’t given a the same chance to prove the same thing.
The USATF blew their call by not allowing the others to run. That’s too bad. Does this bad decision make the USATF a fraudulent, bogus governing body? Not by any means, but it does lower their credibility by at least one notch and it leaves a sour taste in everyone’s mouth, everyone who cares, that is. I suspect that, in the end, not too many people will care about this issue. Here’s the lesson to be earned from this whole mess: if one runs the “A” standard, one takes the decision entirely out of the USATF’s less-than-perfect hands and puts it into one’s own.
Photo courtesy of InsideNikeRunning.com.
Topics: Blog, Commentary, Long Distance |
July 6th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Really disappointed in the fan uproar against Goucher. He played entirely by the rules - and showed that he belonged in the final. I am really disappointed that he didn’t make the team, because it seems like after years and years of hard work and bad luck that something should go right in his career.
I don’t understand the animosity against him on the message boards - a really stand up guy.
July 6th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Adam Goucher is not finished by any means. An Olympic medal is not in the cards for him, but he just ran a sub 28 10000m after just 7 weeks of training. He’ll probably go to Europe and chase after some really fast times. Either that, or he may be thinking about moving up to the marathon.