Last night I was watching a International Track event from Belgium. It was mostly Europeans but there were reps from North America, Asia, Africa and Australia in the event.
A couple of the races I saw were the 800 and 1500 meters finals in both Mens and Womens. There were 8 (or 9?) lanes and a few of the lanes at two racers assigned to it (or about 12 races total)
The announcers pointed out the “rabbits” or pace setters and sure enough these racers took the lead early and then dropped out of the race about halfway through the race
How are these pace setters even in the race? Wouldn’t they have to qualify to get into the finals? Or if they did qualify why would they agree to be the rabbits?
Usually the event sponsor pays for them. Their role is to set a world record pace ( if a bonus is offered) or at least try to get the field to not “jog and sprint” and run an overall slow time.
At the Olympics or World Champs, only qualifiers race so you frequently see the “tactical” jog and sprint.
Also, some runners prefer to not have to judge pace themselves and want someone else to to the job.
For most of the big circuit track races, there are no prelims to qualify for the finals. There is only an invited field, so the pace makers are invited for that purpose.
The world championships and Olympics have the full qualifying procedures, so there are no designated pace makers in the final.