IOC and IAAF set out to ruin elite track and running - 2019

[Coyote Mas Loco]

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has just come out with new Olympic standards (applicable to 2020, just 18 months away), and the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), the international track and field governing body has banned all track event above 3000 meters to be held at the Diamond League events, starting this year. And even the open 3000 is in question according to some.

First the Olympic Standards.
 After extensive consultation with key stakeholders, the Council has decided to introduce a dual qualification system, combining both the entry standards and the new World Ranking System, to determine which athletes are eligible for Olympic selection in 2020.

Under this new qualification process, an athlete can qualify for the 2020 Olympics in one of two ways:

• Achieve the entry standard within the respective qualification period

• Qualify by virtue of his/her IAAF World Ranking position in the selected event at the end of the respective qualification period


The new standards for running events are:
 Men/Women
800m 1:45.20/1:59.50
1500m 3:35.00/4:04.20
5000m 13:13.50/15:10.00
10000m 27:28.00/31:25.00
3000mSC 8:22.00/9:30.00
Marathon 2:11:30/2:29:30

So to even qualify you must reach a truly world class standard. Over the past 100 plus years the USA trials have been very simple, and somewhat brutal. Qualify for the trials and place in the top 3. If 2nd or 3rd don't have a qualifying time, they'll drop down the rankings list and select someone from there. If there are no others, then only the winner goes (this happened in 2000 with both the men's and women's marathon). The implications are that many countries will no longer qualify a team. Japan for example, has excellent marathoners and a few good 10K runners, but few or any athletes in the 5000 and under that can run under the standard. And the USA Olympic trials marathon, one of the premier open events in the country (it takes a 2:18/2:45) to qualify, will now be pointless. The athletes will need to go to a fast course, likely overseas, to get those standards. Also lost will be the opportunity for the up and coming star. For example, Paul Chelimo of the US had a qualifying 5000 m in 2016 of 13:21. He ended up getting a Silver Medal in the Olympics. Jared Ward ran with only a 2:12 marathon personal best, but placed 6th. Kate Grace barely broke 1:59 leading up to the Rio Games but made the final in the 800. etc.

This is a huge shift and not much time or opportunity to adapt. And it makes the US Olympic Track trials also relatively moot in the distance events. (in the sprints we have a couple dozen under the standards, so it will be close to business as usual).

Second, the 5000 meters. In order to shorten the TV time of Diamond League meets from 2 hours to 90 minutes, the IAAF is going to eliminate 4 events for both men and women. First to go is the 5000, which has been a premier track event since the early 1900s. The other events on the block, to be determined. But shortening these meets to two hours would be akin to taking out the 4th quarter of football or basketball games, or making baseball only 7 innings.

[I know that there are like just a couple other track fans here, but thought this is a worthy topic for discussion, and it will affect Olympic fans as well]

[diablita]

I read about this yesterday.  So I assume it means that some of the marathon contenders will have to squeeze in at least one additional race before Atlanta?  Or can they skip Atlanta altogether?  I was planning to watch the marathon trials from the sideline next year -- run the half the day before and then watch. 

[Coyote Mas Loco]

The women are in. Most of the 6 or 8 potential contenders have run under the 2:29, a couple like Allie Kiefer just barely. Up and comer Emily Sisson will run London next month and she'll probably be 2:28 or faster. Hasay, Cragg, Huddle have all gone under.

Men's story is very different. Only Galen Rupp has gone under the 2:11 (2:06 last year and I think it still counts) in the past couple of years. There about 5-6 that have gone 2:12 but no faster. Two very good Kenyan born runners are now running as US citizens and they said want try and qualfy. Makes no sense for them to run the Trials next year without first getting a fast qualifying time this spring or next fall. Also note that the Trials course in Atlanta is tough and hilly. Not flat like Chicago or London. 

A lot of athletes were not planning to run a fall marathon, and to prepare for the Trials. Perfect example is Brogan Austin, last year's national champion (2:12 in December). He'll now need to run a fall race to get under that 2:11:30, or take the chance of being ranked somewhere high enough in the overall world rankings at the end of the year (not likely with a 2:12 anymore).

Men's 10000 time is very hard to beat, and it's rare you can get 3 Americans doing that in the same year. And even the 1500 (equivalent mile is 3:53 for men 4:23 for women) is very fast. And you're not necessarily going to get the best racers, but the best time trial specialists meeting these standards.

[diablita]

Yes.  The choice to run the trials in Atlanta must be a $$ one

[diablita]

As for the guy's' races,    I guess we'll have to see how it all plays out.  The standard is essentially only giving them a little less than 30 seconds per mile leeway over a per-mile pace that hasn't been run yet.

[Coyote Mas Loco]

Yes.  The choice to run the trials in Atlanta must be a $$ one

Yes all about the money, they should have run in LA or Houston in March to simulate Tokyo conditions but still give enough time to recover. But Atlanta in Feb was more about the the money.

Atlanta will get burned by this, but what's worse is that this also blows up the entire draw of the Olympic Trials, which is that an every day 2:16 male or 2:36 female marathoner could step in have the race of their life and qualify for the team. Now the teams will be pre-selected by a fast race under perfect conditions at a race months before and probably overseas under relatively little fanfare. And for hundreds of elite, but not world class runners that spend years trying to meet the Trials standards (sort of a holy grail for good post college runners, a BQ - 45 minutes), there might not even be races such in the future.

[Fast Eddie]

A lot of these IAAF 2020 Olympic standards are (national records)  in some countries.  A lot of developing athletes were able to compete at a "B" standard before at some IAAF events.   

[diablita]

Yes.  Super upsetting.  What were they thinking?? 

[Coyote Mas Loco]

Here is some more perspective from our favorite running website.

http://www.letsrun.com/news/2019/03/rich-kenah-of-atlanta-track-club-on-new-olympic-qualifying-reconsider-the-damage-this-will-do-to-the-olympic-movement/

[Coyote Mas Loco]

Upon further review, looks like the qualifying window is only 2019 and beyond. So a bunch of runners ran fast in 2017 and 2018 and all for naught. They will have to find a big A level race (London, NYC, Chicago, Berlin) and place in the top 10 overall, or else run fast time at a non-aided marathon (thus Boston, CIM, and maybe Grandma's will get docked).

[diablita]

Right, I read that races like Boston are a no go

[diablita]

It's unbelievable how this has impacted the sport with one fell swoop.  I bet half the elite runners are waiting with baited breath for a change, but I just don't know that it will come.

[Arrojo]

Any new standards for the sprints and jumps or just 800 and up?

[Richard21142]

This also hurts the NYC Marathon as it is a slower course than Berlin, London and Chicago.

[nadra's babydaddy]

Lame.  While we're at it, let's just bring back the rules about amateur status only 

[Coyote Mas Loco]

Any new standards for the sprints and jumps or just 800 and up?

All running events from 100 and up. I'm not sure about field events.

[i am party]

Ironically, the Olympic marathon is typically a slow, tactical race with typical times OVER 2:10.

https://www.topendsports.com/events/summer/sports/marathon-winners-men.htm