Robyn Stevens Off Team! [files grievance]

[aaronk]

USATF has told Robyn Stevens--who SMASHED the American Record in the 35K Walk in a European race by ELEVEN MINUTES---is OFF the USA team because she didn't finish the qualifying race earlier in the year (in Santee)!
She was injured then, and DNF'ed!
Her former boyfriend--Nick Christie--sided with USATF!
The message to Stevens came from Diane Henry of the USATF Racewalking Committee!
But Michael Roth said Henry applied the rules for the World RW Team Championships, and was wrong in doing so!
Stevens has said she will appeal!

This is absolutely ridiculous!!
You send the best!!
Stevens is BY FAR the best American in the 35K, and definitely up there in the 20K!

[aaronk]

The article was on a tweet from Ken Stone, and was in the San Diego newspaper!

[aaronk]

There is an ongoing "discussion" about this on Twitter---between officials at USATF, Canadian Racewalking, and Robyn!
She is fighting them with all weapons at her disposal, and then some!

[LuckySpikes]

...
Her former boyfriend--Nick Christie--sided with USATF!
...

Yes, ridiculous to leave your best 35km walker at home. She's still on the team for the 20km according to WA (it says "Withdrawn" for her in the 35km but not the 20km).

And when did the above split happen? Just a few months ago, in a World Athletics article, they were saying how good they were for each other!

Was it so acrimonious that he's not supporting her or is he just a man of very high principles, LOL?

[aaronk]

Yes, ridiculous to leave your best 35km walker at home. She's still on the team for the 20km according to WA (it says "Withdrawn" for her in the 35km but not the 20km).

And when did the above split happen? Just a few months ago, in a World Athletics article, they were saying how good they were for each other!

Was it so acrimonious that he's not supporting her or is he just a man of very high principles, LOL?

She and I have become "chat buddies" on Twitter since early March!
So I won't go into the reasons for the split, but they split very early this year!
They're not close now at all, even though they've been in the same races (Well, he in the men's, she in the women's!) a few times!
So it's not surprising he turned against her!

The fight to represent the US is NOT about him, though!
It's about some people at USATF---namely Diane Henry and Tish Hanna.
It's complicated.

She's been living in Spain---where her coach lives---for a few months.
She DNF'ed the 35K in Santee in February (?) due to an injury, and since then, her races have all been in Europe.
She decided to race there instead of coming home to race!

However, there seems to have been a gap in communications between USATF and Robyn which caused her to miss the Trials!
I don't fully understand it, but there seems to be some "politics" going on!
I recommend you go to Twitter and read all of Robyn's tweets over the past 24 hours!!
She goes into some detail about the whole matter!
She's definitely fighting this!!

[bad hammy]

And when did the above split happen?

About two seconds after he sided with USATF . . .

[aaronk]

About two seconds after he sided with USATF . . .

Wrong!
He sided with USATF just recently---past few days??
The personal split happened several months ago!

[aaronk]

It's getting messy!
Nick tweeted his side of the story---about the reasons for her being bounced.
Becca (PVP) responded to Nick, in her usual forthright manner!
Then I pitched in---replying to Becca that she pay no attention to Nick, that it's wasted time & energy, and that he is a "juvenile loser"!

Round 3 coming up!
LOL

[TWalsh]

Tweet from 2019 WC bronze medalist Perseus Karlstrom, who isn't chat buddies with Robyn Stevens. He gives his unbiased opinion on this issue.

"Pretty straightforward imo. Didn't pass the selection filter of her Fed. and hence ruled herself out from selection. Every country has it's own criteria and this is not something new. happens all the time. 2nd ranked Mexican just missed selection due to the same thing........"

[aaronk]

Tweet from 2019 WC bronze medalist Perseus Karlstrom, who isn't chat buddies with Robyn Stevens. He gives his unbiased opinion on this issue.

"Pretty straightforward imo. Didn't pass the selection filter of her Fed. and hence ruled herself out from selection. Every country has it's own criteria and this is not something new. happens all the time. 2nd ranked Mexican just missed selection due to the same thing........"

You apparently haven't read Robyn's several tweets on the situation!
She explains all her reasons for missing the race!
Yes, I support her, as any friend would!
But it goes beyond that!
To leave the BEST Walker home is just WRONG!!
If this remains the decision, then don't fret when any of the other Walkers finish WAY back....maybe 20 or 30 places behind where Robyn would finish!
As for Nick, he ended in 55th in the La Caruna race!
Robyn was 16th----on a hot & humid day and a hilly course!!

But she WILL be on the team...in both events!!
She's fighting this all the way!
And as noted., this goes beyond the decision to exclude her!
One of the officials told her something which is fireable for the official!
I won't repeat it here, but just read Robyn's tweets---all of them----before you side witth USATF or any other official!!
What this official told her---point blank!....was malicious, unfeeling, and hateful!!

[TWalsh]

You apparently haven't read Robyn's several tweets on the situation!

I have no opinion on this because I don’t know both sides of the story. I was merely posting a tweet from Perseus Karlstrom. He was a lot of credibility in the Race Walking community!

[aaronk]

I have no opinion on this because I don’t know both sides of the story. I was merely posting a tweet from Perseus Karlstrom. He was a lot of credibility in the Race Walking community!

He was a friend to both Nick & Robyn, but has sided with Nick!
She called him "Persy" in our chats, a sign of affection!
But as with most couples who split, "friends" choose sides!

[Atticus]

He was a friend to both Nick & Robyn, but has sided with Nick! She called him "Persy" in our chats, a sign of affection! But as with most couples who split, "friends" choose sides!

I take it you watch soap operas a lot!

[aaronk]

I take it you watch soap operas a lot!

While this is way off the subject, I don't know if you've been divorced before, but isn't it true that people who were friends to both of the couple will side with only one of the couple when they divorce??
i don't think that happens only in novels or movies or TV shows!
I'm also not saying it happens in EVERY situation---just that it DOES happen!
When I told her about Karlstrom's tweet, she called him "Nick's friend"!!
LOL

[steveu]

It's getting messy!
Nick tweeted his side of the story---about the reasons for her being bounced.
Becca (PVP) responded to Nick, in her usual forthright manner!
Then I pitched in---replying to Becca that she pay no attention to Nick, that it's wasted time & energy, and that he is a "juvenile loser"!

Round 3 coming up!
LOL

While this athlete's U.S. team status is certainly newsworthy, this other Twitter drama does not seem like it belongs here. I can't believe you actually got involved, trying to tell who to pay attention to who and stooping to name-calling. Talk about juvenile!