# US Olympic Trials for Track and Field **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 22, 2012, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997 "2012-06-22T22:25:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2012, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/1 "2012-06-22T22:25:13Z")
Let’s see if anyone is interested in discussing this. Eugene, Oregon, is hosting the Olympic track and field trials this year. They actually started yesterday in Beaverton at the Nike complex with the men’s and women’s hammer throw. I’m not a big hammer fan, so I don’t have anything to say about that. A lot of it will be on TV, and [here is the schedule](http://www.nbcolympics.com/news-blogs/track-and-field/2012-u-s-olympic-track-field-trials-viewers-guide.html), which is all NBC or NBC Sports Channel. [The results can be found here.](http://www.usatf.org/Events---Calendar/2012/U-S--Olympic-Team-Trials-TF/Results.aspx) Already today, Ashton Eaton has set records for the best decathlon marks for both the 100 meters and the long jump. He may possibly be on pace for a world record. Tonight has three high school girls in the 800 heats, and the finals for the men’s and women’s 10,000 meters. I’ll mostly follow this on more track-centric sites, but will check in to see how this is going. If it doesn’t get traction, so be it. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/2 "2012-06-24T02:08:13Z")
World Record in the Decathlon today by Ashton Eaton. He beat his personal best by four seconds in the 1500m to get the record of 9039 points. ---
**Author:** ![phxjcc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phxjcc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phxjcc)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/3 "2012-06-24T22:55:16Z")
Thank you for posting the info. T&F is my favorite at the Olympics—b/c no judging, no subjectives, just faster, further, higher and you win. The heart breaker so far is the women’s 100m for third place on the team. You tie–and you lose because we can’t send 4 to London, man that is brutal. Dumb Q…so did LoLo make the team in 100M hurdles? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/4 "2012-06-24T23:05:06Z")
> [@phxjcc](#): > > Thank you for posting the info. > > T&F is my favorite at the Olympics—b/c no judging, no subjectives, just faster, further, higher and you win. > > The heart breaker so far is the women’s 100m for third place on the team. You tie–and you lose because we can’t send 4 to London, man that is brutal. > > **Dumb Q…so did LoLo make the team in 100M hurdles?** [She did.](http://www.letsrun.com/2012/lolojones-0623.php) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/5 "2012-06-24T23:06:13Z")
> [@phxjcc](#): > > The heart breaker so far is the women’s 100m for third place on the team. You tie–and you lose because we can’t send 4 to London, man that is brutal. A runner can place as low as sixth place in either the 100 or 400 meter races and still make the team; occasionally a hurdler will be chosen for the 4x4, but for the most part, the top six make up the 4 relay legs plus 2 alternates. ---
**Author:** ![phxjcc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phxjcc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phxjcc)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/6 "2012-06-24T23:13:46Z")
Thank you ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/7 "2012-06-24T23:20:35Z")
[The review](http://www.usatf.org/News/Women%E2%80%99s-100m-update-%E2%80%93-Dead-heat-for-third-place.aspx) for the 100M is still underway. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/8 "2012-06-24T23:38:01Z")
> [@phxjcc](#): > > Thank you for posting the info. > > T&F is my favorite at the Olympics—b/c no judging, no subjectives, just faster, further, higher and you win. > > The heart breaker so far is the women’s 100m for third place on the team. You tie–and you lose because we can’t send 4 to London, man that is brutal. > > Dumb Q…so did LoLo make the team in 100M hurdles? Alison Felix (the 4th place finisher in the 100) is a specialist at the 200m, and barring a major upset, she will win and be going to London anyway. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/9 "2012-06-24T23:52:52Z")
She’s going regardless of her result in the 2 as a member of the 4x100 meter relay. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/10 "2012-06-25T03:17:17Z")
I haven’t had a chance to watch any of the events, but am definitely paying attention. I don’t think that the US men will have very much luck in the short sprints - perhaps Justin Gatling can eke out a bronze. Nice 400 win for LeShawn Merritt, hope to see him get down to 43.6 or so in London; happy to see Josh Mance make the team for the relay (been aware of him since he was running 46’s as a hs soph for Chino, outside of LA). Curious about Robby Andrews - didn’t see his name at all in the 800 lineups, don’t know if he’s entered in the 1500. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/11 "2012-06-25T03:26:11Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > [The review](http://www.usatf.org/News/Women%E2%80%99s-100m-update-%E2%80%93-Dead-heat-for-third-place.aspx) for the 100M is still underway. [Dead heat procedures announced](http://www.usatf.org/News/Dead-heat-procedures-announced.aspx). This applies not only to the Women’s 100M but any 3rd place dead heat that occurs during the Trials. > [@](#): > > In case of a tie, the following procedure shall be used for breaking a tie for the final qualifying slot in a running-event final in which a U.S. National Team or Olympic Team is being selected: > > ``` > If either athlete declines his or her position on the National Team/Olympic Team, that athlete will be named the alternate and the other athlete will assume the final available position. > > If neither athlete declines their position, they will be given the option to determine the tie-breaker via coin toss or by run-off. > > If both athletes choose the same option, that option will be utilized as the tie-breaker. > > If the athletes disagree on the tie-breaker, the tie will be broken by a run-off. > > If both athletes refuse to declare a preference regarding the method between a run off and coin toss in regards to how the tie is broken, the tie will be broken by coin toss. > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/12 "2012-06-25T14:04:49Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](#): > > Curious about Robby Andrews - didn’t see his name at all in the 800 lineups, don’t know if he’s entered in the 1500. Andrews is entered in the 1500, but not the 800. Kind of surprising, but we’ll see how it works out. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2012, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/13 "2012-06-25T16:28:26Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](#): > > A runner can place as low as sixth place in either the 100 or 400 meter races and still make the team; occasionally a hurdler will be chosen for the 4x4, but for the most part, the top six make up the 4 relay legs plus 2 alternates. Only the top four finishers in the 100 and 400 “have to” be chosen for four of the six spots in the appropriate relay; the coaches choose the other two at their discretion. Also note that the decision as to which four run in the preliminary, and which four run in the final (assuming the men’s 4x100 team doesn’t drop the baton or pass out of the zone **again** ), is made in London, and the coaches have the option to include anybody who is there, and not just those who did well in the 100/400. (In 1988, Florence Griffith-Joyner was put on the women’s 4x400 relay team, presumably in an attempt to get her a fourth gold medal.) For those of you wondering what Dwight Stones means when he keeps saying “the ‘A’ standard,” there are two standards for each event, an “A” standard and a “B” standard. In order for a country to send two or three athletes to London in an event, all of them must meet the “A” standard within a pre-specified date range. Under the USATF qualifying rules, if two or more athletes in the final of an event meet the “A” standard (even if they do it for the first time in that final), then the top three finishers among those with an “A” standard advance; if fewer than two have an “A” standard, the best finisher that meets the “B” standard goes (and, in that case, USA sends only one athlete). I want to say that there was an event in 2008 where USA had nobody even meet the “B” standard, so USA sent nobody to Beijing in that event, but I can’t confirm it. Suzy Powell-Roos, Shelbi Vaughan, and Elizabeth Podominick finished third, fourth, and fifth in the women’s discus, but none of them had met the “A” standard (62m / 203’5") in the qualifying period (I think one of them did have a 62m+ throw something like three weeks _before_ the qualifying period began), and Gia Lewis-Smallwood, who finished sixth, did, so she goes to London while the other three don’t. ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/14 "2012-06-26T01:46:23Z")
Anyone know if there’s live streaming of any of the events? We’re big fans here, but don’t have cable TV… ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/15 "2012-06-26T04:41:25Z")
> [@gardentraveler](#): > > Anyone know if there’s live streaming of any of the events? We’re big fans here, but don’t have cable TV… Yeah, where are the spammers when you need 'em? ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/16 "2012-06-26T04:45:20Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Yeah, where are the spammers when you need 'em? You report them all! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2012, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/17 "2012-06-26T04:52:51Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > You report them all! Check the username, I might make an exception. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/18 "2012-06-27T08:29:25Z")
What’s up with Andrew Wheating? Is he in the 15? The women’s 100 may certainly end up being the defining moment of the trials. First tie I’ve seen since Pat Laverty run down Bill Kolb in 85 at the Penn Relays hs DMR. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/19 "2012-06-27T14:16:50Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](#): > > What’s up with Andrew Wheating? Is he in the 15? He’s listed as having declared himself for the 1500, which starts Thursday. He was listed as scratched from the 800, although I don’t think he had a particularly good qualifying time in that event (1:46.83). ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997/20 "2012-06-29T03:18:32Z")
The men’s and women’s 5000m races were amazing. The women’s was a supreme tragedy/triumph depending on who you were cheering for. It’s a complicated story, but the fourth place finisher basically gave her locked up spot in the Olympics to the third place finisher. A huge tactical error. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-olympic-trials-for-track-and-field/625997.md?page=2)