2021 mOG 4x1: you sure you wanna open this one?

[Scratch_leg]

From what I've gathered, our national teams practice relays like some basketball teams practice free throws -- not too seriously. But I'm guessing that national team members in this country aren't together often enough to practice relays. After watching some of the other teams, I would assume that's not the case in those countries.

From my observation… I think it has become pure arrogance on both the coaches and the runners. The coaches assuming they have an embarrassment of riches with “ fast athletes” with fast times, and athletes that have probably run relays their entire lives from junior high school thru college and just assume they can still get the job done without to much practice(effort). Like the old saying goes… “practice makes perfect” I guess it will all change when the collective gets tired of losing. Just my 2 cents…

[ItalianFan]

It's neither 6, nor 5. The maximum pool size was changed to 8 a couple of years ago. Per rule 12.4.7 of the World Athletics Series regulations https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=34a74ad4-037f-4f69-91b2-cf1942609ef4.pdf&urlslug=C1.2%20-%20World%20Athletics%20Series%20Regulations%20(ame nded%20on%2012%20March%202020)

Every Member may enter one team for each relay race, composed by a maximum of eight athletes. Any four athletes among those entered for the competition, whether for the relay or for any other event, may then be used in the composition of the team for the first round

As indicated in the document, rule 12.4.7 is for World Indoor Championships. And rule 3.4.3 is for Outdoor World Championships.
For Olympic Games, you have to reference to this:https://media.aws.iaaf.org/competiti...5a782e3a78.pdf
Olympics have total quota of athletes per sport set by IOC. So rules are slighter different.

[beebee]

Speaking of Lewis...unless an athlete is doing multiple events like Carl and is honestly preoccupied...no relay camp, no relay duty...

Let's stop the outdated "tradition" of giving automatic slots to any athlete.

[58Commander]

I wish NBC would get rid of the head on view of the second leg. It’s useless to tell who is gaining on who. And that was the leg with 100m gold medalist from Italy. For this race, they need to go with the stadium view and stick with it. I like to see where everyone is at as the race develops.

[cladthin]

From what I've heard, it's actually better to jump straight into competition after travelling across multiple time zones than to allow a few days after travel, but not enough to fully adjust. In any case, many teams travelled to Japan a couple of weeks before the OG; I don't know why the US didn't.

Yes, it's likely better to either arrive only a day or two prior to competition or arrive early enough where you can start the competition approximately no earlier than day 6,7,or 8. A week or more would have likely been better.

They did not do it because they cancelled their Tokyo training camp back in May due to wanting to limit time/exposure of the athletes to the COVID surge in Japan.

[etuoyo]

Agreed...as great as Lewis was as an individual performer he took those relays dead serious...no "let's get everyone a medal" dumbshit.

Lewis did miss out on Olympics gold in 1988 because he sat out the heats (understandable given that he did 100m, 200m and King jump) and US got disqualified in the heats. If I recall correctly it was the final changeover that led to the DQ which is where Lewis would have been if he ran the heat.

[Powell]

I was incorrect in the number of days- I believe many came into Tokyo closer to 4-5 days prior to their event start which did not allow some to snap out of jet lag.

From what I've heard, it's actually better to jump straight into competition after travelling across multiple time zones than to allow a few days after travel, but not enough to fully adjust. In any case, many teams travelled to Japan a couple of weeks before the OG; I don't know why the US didn't.

[cladthin]

I get jet lag after driving for 5 hours. I thought all along these Games should have been cancelled.
The people of Japan right now might well agree.

I was incorrect in the number of days- I believe many came into Tokyo closer to 4-5 days prior to their event start which did not allow some to snap out of jet lag.

[AS]

I get jet lag after driving for 5 hours. I thought all along these Games should have been cancelled.
The people of Japan right now might well agree.

The Games should have been cancelled because USTAF/USOC make terrible decisions?? I don't see the logic.

[schigh]

the last time the NCAA winner was all Americans was '10

Good point, didn't think about that. I was just trying to think of a way where the relay team has actually competed together before.

[Powell]

If they have none in the individual event, they get to name whoever they want for the pool of 6.

It's neither 6, nor 5. The maximum pool size was changed to 8 a couple of years ago. Per rule 12.4.7 of the World Athletics Series regulations https://worldathletics.org/download/download?filename=34a74ad4-037f-4f69-91b2-cf1942609ef4.pdf&urlslug=C1.2%20-%20World%20Athletics%20Series%20Regulations%20(ame nded%20on%2012%20March%202020)

Every Member may enter one team for each relay race, composed by a maximum of eight athletes. Any four athletes among those entered for the competition, whether for the relay or for any other event, may then be used in the composition of the team for the first round

[gh]

I wouldn't mind if the NCAA 4x100 champs was the Olympic relay team or have the relays as a trials event.

the last time the NCAA winner was all Americans was '10

[gm]

I wouldn't mind if the NCAA 4x100 champs was the Olympic relay team...

That would ensure the U.S. would never win another gold.

[cigar95]

. . . . . so at best you can send 3 relay-only athletes in addition to the 3 individuals in the 100m/400m.

In another thread we figured out the loophole around this problem - use one of the "relay pool" slots in the 4x4 for your fourth "new guy", and once he's on the team he's as eligible as anyone else for the 4x1.
This limits the options for the longer relay, but the choice is availlable.

[ItalianFan]

The entries rule is the following:

4x100m, 4x400m
NOCs may enter one (1) team for each relay event. A total of five (5) athletes may be entered for a relay team. Should an NOC have entered a relay team and individual athletes in the corresponding individual event (100m and 400m), the entered individual athletes must be included in the total of five (5) athletes entered for the relay events. In addition, NOCs can nominate a maximum of one (1) P alternate athlete for each team

The one named as P Alternate (non-competing athletes) can be used only under the Late Athlete Replacement policy (basically medical reasons, doping or Covid of one of the 5 entered above).

Then they can actually use whoever they like among the 5 (+1) above or anyone entered in any other disciplines.