Tokyo women's 4x4 [split]

[jazzcyclist]

I just realized that swimming is also debuting a mixed relay at this year's Olympics. I guess it's only a matter of time before cycling introduces a mixed gender event.

[18.99s]

I can't imagine a situation where the U.S. would be I in third place at the third exchange given the fact that we'd be putting 3 fresh bodies on the track while Jamaica and/or Poland might not have the depth to do that.

It's not that they'd be in 3rd place at the exchange, but if Jamaica and Poland are in the race, trying to relax with a 56-second anchor leg would likely mean dropping into 3rd place.

In other words, the strategy of "just relax and save yourself for the 400m final" breaks down if JAM and POL are in the same heat. They will make the US anchor work to avoid being in 3rd place. And if she drops back into 3rd, she'll have to do some work to make sure 4th is far enough behind.

[jazzcyclist]

It's not that they'd be in 3rd place at the exchange, but if Jamaica and Poland are in the race, trying to relax with a 56-second anchor leg would likely mean dropping into 3rd place.

In other words, the strategy of "just relax and save yourself for the 400m final" breaks down if JAM and POL are in the same heat. They will make the US anchor work to avoid being in 3rd place. And if she drops back into 3rd, she'll have to do some work to make sure 4th is far enough behind.

In that scenario she should focus on the 4th place team and ignore Jamaica and Poland. What's wrong with third place?

[TWalsh]

I just realized that swimming is also debuting a mixed relay at this year's Olympics. I guess it's only a matter of time before cycling introduces a mixed gender event.

Not a fan of track and field's version of the mixed relay. The last thing we need to do is to create another relay for the 400 meter runner.

[Atticus]

Not a fan of track and field's version of the mixed relay. The last thing we need to do is to create another relay for the 400 meter runner.

We already have a meet expressly for this - the World Relays. Having it in the OG or WC is a joke.

[ATK]

I think some of the names who qualify will also play into the relay selection, namely Allyson Felix. If she makes the open 400m team, no matter what she finishes in the Olympic final, I'm willing to bet she runs the 4x4 final simply for the star power. I even feel this about McLaughlin in the 4x4. The story of them being training partners under Bobby Kersee, Felix running her last Olympics and (literally) passing the baton from one era to the next is probably being written by NBC right now.

[ATK]

Seems according to the (most recent?) World Athletics rules, the format in Doha of using 4 different alternates in the relay will apply in Tokyo. Though it addresses the alternate issue, it still makes no sense to have the 4x4 and 400m on top of each other on the schedule.

https://www.worldathletics.org/downl...ug=Competition (PDF file)

24.10: Each member of a relay team may run one leg only. Any four athletes from among those entered for the competition, whether for that or any other event, may be used in the composition of the relay team for any round. However, once a relay team has started in a competition, up to a total of four additional athletes may be used as substitutes in the composition of the team. If a team does not follow this Rule, it shall be disqualified.

[jazzcyclist]

I think some of the names who qualify will also play into the relay selection, namely Allyson Felix. If she makes the open 400m team, no matter what she finishes in the Olympic final, I'm willing to bet she runs the 4x4 final simply for the star power.

I think any runner who makes the Olympic final has earned the right to run in the 4x400 final unless his/her result is a DNF.

[jazzcyclist]

Given what Shamier Little and Athing Mu have done recently and the overlap of the 4x400 and the open 400, I would be comfortable with team of three 400 hurdlers and an 800 runner, assuming that McLaughlin and Muhammad demonstrate that they are in 2019 Doha form prior to the Olympics.

[ATK]

I agree for the most part. Especially considering the make up of the relay doesn't matter too much. The US could win gold with any combination of the three 400m runners, three 400m hurdlers and Athing Mu.

[bambam1729]

I just realized that swimming is also debuting a mixed relay at this year's Olympics. I guess it's only a matter of time before cycling introduces a mixed gender event.

Swimming started with mixed relays at the 2015 World Championships

[guru]

I think some of the names who qualify will also play into the relay selection, namely Allyson Felix. If she makes the open 400m team, no matter what she finishes in the Olympic final, I'm willing to bet she runs the 4x4 final simply for the star power. I even feel this about McLaughlin in the 4x4. The story of them being training partners under Bobby Kersee, Felix running her last Olympics and (literally) passing the baton from one era to the next is probably being written by NBC right now.

Before Doha I would have agreed with your general point, but Orin Richburg showed he will put the best four out there, regardless of who they are(or whose feathers he ruffles doing it). Barring injury(or a monumental upset in the 400 hurdles) I think it's fair to say McLaughlin and Mu will be two of the four. Unless Felix wins the open 400(or at the very least top 2) at the Trials she'll have a hard time cracking that lineup(though certainly making the team will get her prelim duty). One thing's fairly certain - she better come to the Trials ready to run sub-50.

[Trickstat]

Swimming started with mixed relays at the 2015 World Championships

Personally, I think that the mixed medley is a more interesting event than the mixed 4x400.

[18.99s]

I noticed that only 7 countries have mixed 4x400 national records better than the women's 4x400 world record.

https://www.worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/relays/4x400-metres-relay/outdoor/mixed/senior?regionType=world&timing=electronic&page=1&bestResultsOnly=true&firstDay=1899-12-31&lastDay=2021-05-29

8 countries have done sub-3:16 for the mixed, compared to 3 countries with sub-3:16 for women (Soviet Union, USA, East Germany).

[jazzcyclist]

Unless Felix wins the open 400(or at the very least top 2) at the Trials she'll have a hard time cracking that lineup(though certainly making the team will get her prelim duty).

And if she make the Olympic final she will probably balk at running the prelim.