Kristin_Tallent's Blog

In the US, to make the team for the Olympics, a runner/field athlete must place in the top 3 at the trials and also must have met the "A" standard.   One meet, one chance, no matter who you are.

After Tyson Gay came up lame in the 200 m semi-finals on Saturday, I definitely think we need to come up with a different way to pick our team representatives.   Gay is the reigning world champion.  He's clearly the fast American and most-likely the fastest man on Earth.   Now, he did already qualify in the 100m.   But he won't get a chance to run in the 200m, which means Team USA could miss out on a gold.

I think it's fine to have the trials but I also think that if someon has run the fastest time in the world, that man/woman should get a pass.  What if you have an injury like Gay.  What if you have the flu or an illness?   It just doesn't seem fair.  Gay is the reigning world champion in the 100m and 200m and now because of one injury, Gay will not get the chance to bring home the gold for his country.   This is sad.  I think if you survey all of the athletes in the trials, they would agree that this is ridiculous.