UK Outdoor August 2019

[Laps]

Actually, having written that Laps is fair-minded, I re-read his serial no hopers comment.

Sovietvest
If the selectors are any good at their job I would expect them to know which of the team they wouldn't take if they had the choice. The ones who are likely to fail because of temperament or because they have given their all just getting there, perhaps sneaking past better athletes whose preparation is aimed at the Championships rather than the Trials. No-hopers a poor choice of words but nothing to do with not trying.
Conversely the selectors have probably got names they would very much like to select, that would really benefit from going, and can't because of the qualification rules.
It's a daft system.

[Ursus]

Well done to Lincoln, its been coming.

A good achievement, but as Philipo alludes to it is only an entry point to international class. Similar with Hughes with his 80m in the spear.

Still, when was the last time we had 20m SP and 80m JT in the same season?

On the perennial should we send the biggest team possible question, I'm broadly in favour of giving athletes chances, although not blindly, especially as there is only the requirement to meet the qualifying standard once which I've never agreed with. For me, consistency of performance / form should be a bigger factor in selection even if its just a requirement for 2 qualifying standards. Ironically it is for those who don't automatically qualify with one of the round 2 criteria being "Demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Panel, current form and fitness which suggests they are capable of performing at a level to (or exceeding) their qualification best or season's best (whichever is higher)".

There is a GB athlete who has exceeded their QS once, narrowly, in a massive outlier performance. They didn't finish in the top 2 in the trials (won in a mark way below the QS), but if they had they'd have been on the plane. But they're not and their recent form over months doesn't give them a hope of satisfying the panel.

No system's perfect but surely we can do better than this.

[larkim]

I'm more glass half full, even with the serial qualifiers / champs under performers. There's no luck involved in launching an implement over the qualifying distance (broadly) or running a time / leaping a distance / height. It's a measure of their capability and a clear demonstration that they can put in a competitive mark in global terms.

And past performance doesn't mean they will break down again - even if they've "failed" several times. Surely we've got to be hoping they come good. Can it really be the case that numbers of our athletes really aren't bothered when they reach the champs? I find that hard to believe; I can believe that they struggle in the major comp environment, but that shouldn't condemn them to not taking part.

[Ursus]

Larkim, you are clearly a nicer man than me.

If there’s no luck involved athletes should be able to replicate good performances with ease and put the issue to bed. Qualification shouldn’t depend on blue moons, stars aligning or dogs having their day.

I don’t think athletes aren’t bothered. But I do think they’re acutely aware of how they stack up compared to their peers, the tape and the watch are brutal like that. If they know they’re a bit out of their depth it’s easy to see how, subconsciously, just getting there becomes the real objective.

[frankie cahill]

Aargh! Phil Norman just hundreds of a second off of the qualifying time for the second race this season at the Tonbridge Twilight.

[frankie cahill]

That was an epic 800m. English just off the qualifying mark, a new pb for spencer Thomas and a sub-4 minute mile for good measure. Fantastic level for a regional English meet!

[carterhatch]

Looks like a great effort by all concerned at Tonbridge Twilight - most of all the organisers - unlucky for Thomas with a PB of 1.46:08 and noted the race was paced by Jack Green! (could devote a whole thread to his trials and tribulations) ...

[Paps]

Let’s not forget Chris McAllister taking it to 600. Looking very strong and will be interesting to see what else he’s got in store over 4h

[carterhatch]

I knew I should have added the caveat 'was paced by, among others, ..'

[RunUnlimited]

carterhatch: yes he did , and according to tonbridge twighlight twitter ran 1:46.31, and he does make a very gracious twitter himself thanking all concerned.

Me, after the men's 800m final in the Trials: I'll make a prediction now, Learmonth will struggle to get the time... and if he *does* get the time for Doha, he'll go out in the heats.

Well, looks like my prediction is currently right on track... Remind me, what is the point of a "Guy Learmonth"?

[frankie cahill]

Learmonth possibly not finished yet? Goes again in Zagreb on Tuesday as does Phil Norman in the steeple. Does anyone know when the cutoff for selecton is? Can't seem to find any info

[jjimbojames]

Midnight tonight for UKA’s criteria , but I guess they might be hoping to get high enough up the rankings to make a case when the invite comes that UKA should accept it

https://www.uka.org.uk/EasysiteWeb/g...ype=Attachment

[Ladyloz]

Doesn't work like that jjimbojames. The IAAF are not going to issue invites where they are already multiple qualifiers from the same country.

[frankie cahill]

Whilst trying to find out about the selection dates on British Athletics twitter, I noticed with a certain grim humour that they're wishing Melissa Courtney a happy birthday and telling her to have a great day. Unfortunately, I'm not sure she will...

[Runner88]

Phil Norman is still in with a chance of getting the invitation from IAAF which I think he deserves. He's twice come just short of the time with runs largely by himself. Of course I'm sure he doesn't trust British Athletics to accept the invitation and wants to take the selection into his own hands.

[Ladyloz]

Unfortunately for him I cannot see British Athletics accepting any invitation. The selection document for Worlds states that invites may only be accepted if an athlete has medal potential for Doha or Tokyo.

They may just accept one for Jaz Sawyers or Cindy Ofili (and before anyone comes back on this, no I won't be rushing to put money on them to win medals) but Jaz has decent championship pedigree and 6.86 her PB could be good enough to get on the podium - of course it could take 7:06 but these things are often difficult to predict. Being on funding will help her cause too. Cindy Ofili arguably has a stronger case (more specifically for Tokyo) as she has been closer to a global medal, just 0.02 off the podium in Rio but I fear for her that no longer being on funding will go against her.

[Charlwilxo]

Asha Phillip will be running at be ISTAF meet in Berlin tonight, hopefully she can get the standard

Startlist available : https://www.istaf.de/download/startlist2019.pdf

[Charlwilxo]

Lots of British athletes also in action in Switzerland including Cindy Ofili

start list: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/effc4...12a79d6ee8.pdf

[jjimbojames]

I’m pretty sure Sawyers and Jessie Knight are at the Belgian Champs this weekend, for a final roll of the dice. Obviously, you’re balancing rest and their team knows more than we do etc, but I’m amazed someone like Asha has put all her eggs in tonight’s basket - I’d have lined up races and pulled out if I got the standard. In Asha’s case, I might even want a few races, given lack of a season etc

[Christy93]

Xiaojing Liang 11.13 PB in Asha's race; Ge Manqi 11.23 & Yongli Wei (11.26) also; But PBs of 10.99 & 11.04. China are one leg short of a really good 4x1.