GB Athletics

[Epic Failure 359]

Just got even worse. Wightman out.

 

Bradshaw has the UKA Q and is in a quota spot, so she's probably fine.

[Cinnamon Bun 911]

Not too worried about some of these withdrawals, most just seem like small niggles that the athletes in question don't want to risk becoming worse with London DL still to come as an Olympic preparation event. 

[Epic Failure 359]

The problem is that the trials are the selection event. Unless athletes get an exemption for illness/injury, missing the trials means missing the team. Then there is the fact that this weekend is the last chance to get a Q.

 

Secondly, the athlete being injured and the way the selection policy is set out means that some athletes are potentially going to miss out. That's most obvious in the 1500m. Josh Kerr is practically guaranteed the discretionary spot, and he's doing the 800m here. Which means that if 2 other folks with the Q finish top 2 in the 1500m, there would be no place for Jake Wightman, no matter how fit he might be in Paris. The men's 800m and 1500m selections are going to be even more of a headache now than they already were going to be.

 

It's less stressful in some events where there are more limited options.

[Cinnamon Bun 911]

Wightman must've been told that he can still get on the team if he achieves a fast enough time at the London DL. That's the only logical reason bar him being too hurt to compete in Paris than can be drawn from this. I'm only thinking this because Chalmers said in an interview with the BBC that if he doesn't get the OQT here then he might be given once more chance at the London DL before they reject his invite. 

[cjsavory 44]

51 minutes ago, Cinnamon Bun said:

Wightman must've been told that he can still get on the team if he achieves a fast enough time at the London DL. That's the only logical reason bar him being too hurt to compete in Paris than can be drawn from this. I'm only thinking this because Chalmers said in an interview with the BBC that if he doesn't get the OQT here then he might be given once more chance at the London DL before they reject his invite. 

Pretty sure the selectors' hands are tied on this one. Kerr is definitely in, so if two of Gourlay/Mills/Fogg finish 1-2 this weekend (or someone else does it and achieves the OQT), Wightman is out. It's just a really, really unfortunate situation.

 

Wightman already has the OQT - for 1500m, Mile times also count.

[Cinnamon Bun 911]

4 minutes ago, cjsavory said:

Pretty sure the selectors' hands are tied on this one. Kerr is definitely in, so if two of Gourlay/Mills/Fogg finish 1-2 this weekend (or someone else does it and achieves the OQT), Wightman is out. It's just a really, really unfortunate situation.

 

Wightman already has the OQT - for 1500m, Mile times also count.

Wightman has been given medical exemption, meaning that even if 2 of the above get the OQT Wightman will get another chance to get in ahead of one of them before the games. 

[mpjmcevoy 375]

29 minutes ago, Cinnamon Bun said:

Wightman has been given medical exemption, meaning that even if 2 of the above get the OQT Wightman will get another chance to get in ahead of one of them before the games. 

I don't think that's right. I think exemption simply means he can be selected despite not turning up - he still would have to compete for his place on the normal rules of priority - 2023 world medalist, then 1-2, and only after that people with the standard.

[Cinnamon Bun 911]

9 minutes ago, mpjmcevoy said:

I don't think that's right. I think exemption simply means he can be selected despite not turning up - he still would have to compete for his place on the normal rules of priority - 2023 world medalist, then 1-2, and only after that people with the standard.

It does mean that he can be selected despite not turning up but I think in this context it gives him another chance to ensure his selection at London DL if 2 others get the OQT and finish top 3 in trials. Either way BA/UKA will make up their own rules to ensure Wightman gets in at the expense of others who did things by the book. 

[mpjmcevoy 375]

32 minutes ago, Cinnamon Bun said:

It does mean that he can be selected despite not turning up but I think in this context it gives him another chance to ensure his selection at London DL if 2 others get the OQT and finish top 3 in trials. Either way BA/UKA will make up their own rules to ensure Wightman gets in at the expense of others who did things by the book. 

And then those others will sue and those others will win. They can't tear up the basic rules that blatantly, it won't fly.

[Orangehair43 285]

16 minutes ago, mpjmcevoy said:

And then those others will sue and those others will win. They can't tear up the basic rules that blatantly, it won't fly.

Has anyone ever actually won a court case over a policy?