She's running this year's IAAF World Championships in the 5000 meters, however, in part due to the USATF rules for team qualifying and how they were handled. The IAAF sets the rules for entry into its championships for each country's teams. Each country is allowed to enter three athletes, but two must have met the A standard for qualifying to compete in that event. One is allowed to be on the team with the B standard. This year they had to have met that standard by July 29.
The US system is to conduct a trials where the top three finishers in each event makes the team, as long as they have met the appropriate qualifying standard. This year Rowbury just missed a top three qualifying spot at the US trials in the 1500, but did make the team at 5K. She had mixed emotions about her situation as the she considers the 1500 her event, but was contemplating a move up to the 5000 in the future.
The US is a dominant force in the 1500, featuring diverse talents such as defending World Champion Jenny Simpson and high school phenom Mary Cain, both members of this year's team. Rowbury, Team USA Minnesota's Gabriele Anderson, Medtronic TC Mile champ Sarah Brown, and 2013 US trials champion Treniere Moser have all been part of that resurgence in US female middle distance running from a time when then Team USA member Carrie Tollefson was the only 1500 runner representing the US in the event at the 2004 Olympics.
At this year's July 19 IAAF Diamond League Monaco meet the US, led by Simpson, who won the race, swept four of the top five places, all running season bests, two of them personal bests. Rowbury, who didn't have a 1500 A standard until the race got one by running 4:01.28. Having finished fourth in the US trials and making the A standard, Rowbury, like Team USA Minnesota's Jamie Cheever, who had her A standard qualifier going into the US trials, was the logical choice as the alternate for the US team. In other words, if one of the runners ahead of her could not compete in Moscow, the Rowbury and Cheever, the alternates get that spot.
One problem with this scenario, the rules. The rules state that it is the athlete's responsibility to inform USATF if they get the qualifying standard prior to the US deadline of July 20. The US had until July 29 to give IAAF its full entry list, including alternates, for the World Championships. But neither Rowbury, her coach, or her agent were aware that they had to inform USATF of her A standard qualifer. Rowbury had told USATF that she was interested in being considered for the team in the 1500 if she got an A standard after the Trials.
Apparently nobody at USATF connected the dots after the Monaco meet and saw that Rowbury was next in line for the 1500 when Moser was forced to withdraw from the championships because of an injury. Thus when Moser withdrew Medtronic TC Mile champ Sarah Brown was the name on the list as the alternate in the 1500 and was offered the spot. Brown was able to switch her plans from running the Falmouth Mile to get a visa and get to Moscow in time for the qualifying heats in the 1500, and Rowbury learned about all this via social media.
She was "disappointed," but also was concentrating on going for a medal in the 5000. Would she have taken the spot if it was available, Rowbury said she didn't know because she didn't have the option. She didn't want to distract herself for preparing the best she could for the 5000. The lesson in all this? Groups, such as USATF and the USOC, that make the rules for athletes to participate in World Championship and Olympics always say that they are there "for the athletes." They exist to make sure the athletes have what they need to best represent their country at those events. But this process involves human beings who may let things slip "between the cracks." Nothing malicious intended, often just an oversight.
Fortunately nobody is playing "the blame game" in this situation. Rowbury's disappointment at not having a choice in the 1500 is overridden by her desire to get a medal in the 5000. USATF has the rules on their side. Rules that can be the difference between order and chaos in the often complicated process of selecting a team and getting everybody where they need to be for the competition. But these rules, like all things, have room for improvement, alteration if necessary.
Amanda Smock, who was one of three US triple jumpers attempting to qualify for Moscow, said after the July 20 deadline had passed that she wished the US rule had extended the qualifying deadline up to the July 29 IAAF declaration date as some other countries had done. She had been injured mid season and was scrambling to try and get a qualifying standard in the triple jump. She had a near miss foul jump in her last competition and for her the extra days might have made a difference. As it turned out the US sent no female triple jumpers to Moscow as none had an A or B standard jump. Why?
One reason is the ethos of championship events has shifted away from participation toward selling the top level of elite sport. Gone is the old Olympic motto of founder Pierre de Coubertin that victory is not in winning, but in taking part. So sending people to Olympics or World Championships for them to "get experience" or to participate is often seen as wasting resources instead of building for the future.
Even in high school, with budget cuts and money tight, sports and the arts get marginalized within the school curriculum. Coaches were talking at this year's state meet that one impact of the great distance races with a lot of kids running fast is that the qualifying times for events, such as the 3200, has continued to get faster. So, if one section is loaded with talent, they have to run very fast just to get to the state meet. Again, the elite end of the sport trumps participation.
Sport is supposed to be for all the athletes, not just the very best. The rules should enable all athletes, not restrict them.
Rowbury post-5K heat interview with FloTrack is HERE.
No comments:
Post a Comment