2023 USA 'Pro' Results

[NotDutra5]

Relatively struggling. She'll probably never win a global medal again, and will continue to miss making the World or Olympic team half the time like in 2016, 2019, and 2021. Her scared-arms "technique" for clearing the hurdles, which she has been unable to correct after 7 as a pro, makes her consistently inconsistent, and will often keep her off the podium in the US trials or global finals.

But if she specialised in the 400 flat, technique becomes far less important, she'd be running sub-49.5, and would make the US team every time, and be one of the favorites to medal (albeit probably not gold -- but she'd be closer to gold in the 400m flat than in the hurdles).

I understood and agreed with your original comment all along the lines of this explanation. The only fly in the ointment of the theory comes if SML and Britton Wilson decide themselves the flat 400m might be the way to go. That opens up spots on the US 400mH team and cuts down the spots on the 400m team although it would probably be close with Wilson and Little in the flat 400m.

[ATK]

Relatively struggling. She'll probably never win a global medal again, and will continue to miss making the World or Olympic team half the time like in 2016, 2019, and 2021. Her scared-arms "technique" for clearing the hurdles, which she has been unable to correct after 7 as a pro, makes her consistently inconsistent, and will often keep her off the podium in the US trials or global finals.

But if she specialised in the 400 flat, technique becomes far less important, she'd be running sub-49.5, and would make the US team every time, and be one of the favorites to medal (albeit probably not gold -- but she'd be closer to gold in the 400m flat than in the hurdles).

I understand your points here for sure, but I think it goes to what high jump fan said, shes unfortunate to be running in the same era as Muhammad, then SML and now Bol. I think using the word struggling is a bit unfair since, sure she could move to the 400m, but just because she has the option, doesn't mean she is struggling in the hurdles.

I'm not sure I would say Darlan Romani is "struggling" in the shotput, or Marie Josee Ta Lou has been "struggling" in the 100m. They just happen to be in a super competitive era and cant necessarily move to another event. (though yes Romini has world indoor gold...)

[18.99s]

I understand your points here for sure, but I think it goes to what high jump fan said, shes unfortunate to be running in the same era as Muhammad, then SML and now Bol. I think using the word struggling is a bit unfair since, sure she could move to the 400m, but just because she has the option, doesn't mean she is struggling in the hurdles.

She missed making the US team in 3 of her 6 attempts. That is a form of struggling. Not struggling as bad as those who never made a national team, but that's struggling relative to her potential in the 400m.

[ATK]

She missed making the US team in 3 of her 6 attempts. That is a form of struggling. Not struggling as bad as those who never made a national team, but that's struggling relative to her potential in the 400m.

Thats fair. And your point before of her form in the hurdles (which led her to finish 4th in 2019 and 2021) is fair as well. But I do think its easy to say she'll make the 400m team before actually trying out for it. The USA pure 400m runners are lacking a bit, but all it takes is Diggs, Irby, Ellis, Jonathas etc. (all younger) to run PBs and Little is 5th or lower.

[18.99s]

Thats fair. And your point before of her form in the hurdles (which led her to finish 4th in 2019 and 2021) is fair as well. But I do think its easy to say she'll make the 400m team before actually trying out for it. The USA pure 400m runners are lacking a bit, but all it takes is Diggs, Irby, Ellis, Jonathas etc. (all younger) to run PBs and Little is 5th or lower.

But in the 400mh, all it takes is one bad hurdle clearance (which isn't a rarity with her) and Little misses the team, no PBs necessary from anybody else.

[ATK]

But in the 400mh, all it takes is one bad hurdle clearance (which isn't a rarity with her) and Little misses the team, no PBs necessary from anybody else.

Thats why I said your points there are fair. When I disagreed with the struggling part earlier was in regard to her very fast times over hurdles.
Well see what happens though especially in the 400m. Mu cant run the 4x400 in Budapest so a 400/800 double is not out of the question. And McLaughlin will likely run the 400m at USAs since she has the bye in the hurdles, which leaves the question open on what she may run at Worlds (400/400h double is not impossible).

But overall point is, Little doesn't have many (😉) paths to a medal if she doesn't step things up in whichever event she runs.

[TN1965]

Little can easily win a medal if she focuses on 400m and makes the team. Even if she runs only prelim, she can definitely win the gold in 4x4.

[fasttrak85]

Little can easily win a medal if she focuses on 400m and makes the team. Even if she runs only prelim, she can definitely win the gold in 4x4.

Winning a medal is the relay and open 400 are two different things Little has a better shot at Bronze in the 400 hurdles if she can make the team. The 400 open is stacked on the international level (SMU, The Dominican, Sade Williams, SML and god forbids Nasser comes back anywhere near her previous form). The 400 is due gor a huge resurgence domestically. Alot of girls have been stuck at the 50 flat mark and I sense a few will be stepping it up so Little will have her hands full either way if she doesnt bring her a game. However the flat 400 may be kinder to someone prone to panic as Little is but not by much.

[26mi235]

She missed making the US team in 3 of her 6 attempts. That is a form of struggling. Not struggling as bad as those who never made a national team, but that's struggling relative to her potential in the 400m.

Sorry, I'm not buying this. You think that she will be third best in the world over 400? She has to make some more progress but DM is probably past her peak, so she may have a shot at getting a third. And when is being fourth in the absolutely hottest event a poor performance. And if she can get her 400 time down while also making one of the four slots on the 400h she might be in the first round of the 4x400s. I do not think Syd is leaving the 400h until after the OGs, but that still leaves a chance for the possible 4 slots for the 2025 WCs (go out and win the DL). After all, she is running times similar to the very long-term WR before DL/Syd (and Bol also). And, mishaps happen in the 400h so she might beat someone better than her.

[Revenant]

Clearly Little is in superb flat form, and I think could have taken Steiner had that been an outdoor race (she ran extra distance round the last bend).

Her 4th last season was her 2nd best Championship performance ever after her silver in 2015...but interestingly, her fastest seasons over 400mh were 2017 and 2021; the only two seasons she went under 53 secs in the hurdles. They also happened to be the seasons she ran the fastest over the 400m flat. But in 2017 she didn't make the final at the Worlds, and in 2021 she didn't make the US team.

So, it would appear that when she is fastest over both the flat and hurdles, she runs the hurdles, and underperforms. So, perhaps it is time to try the flat for a change. However, as the US can send 4 women to Budapest in the 400mh, I think she will just run the 400mh at the US Trials. I think she will make the team. But it's too soon to tell whether she can medal in Budapest.

[CD203]

But in the 400mh, all it takes is one bad hurdle clearance (which isn't a rarity with her) and Little misses the team, no PBs necessary from anybody else.

Also finishing outside the top 3 in the flat is less impactful than in the hurdles because she still makes the relay pool, which is the surest bet there is for any US athlete to win a medal. Of course I'm sure most athletes are happier with an individual slot than a team slot but I suspect it's preferable to make the relay pool than to not make the team at all

[ATK]

Little can easily win a medal if she focuses on 400m and makes the team. Even if she runs only prelim, she can definitely win the gold in 4x4.

Well yes, she barely has to do any work to get a relay medal. All she has to do is make the 400m final at USAs and then could just jog 60 seconds, finishing 8th place and she makes it into the 4x400 pool, leading to a relay medal at worlds or Olympics.

The goal is an individual medal.

[CD203]

Well yes, she barely has to do any work to get a relay medal. All she has to do is make the 400m final at USAs and then could just jog 60 seconds, finishing 8th place and she makes it into the 4x400 pool, leading to a relay medal at worlds or Olympics.

The goal is an individual medal.

Not necessarily. It means she makes the team but doesn't at all mean they actually put run her. Shae Anderson made the Tokyo team but never ran there, even in the mixed heats

[ATK]

Not necessarily. It means she makes the team but doesn't at all mean they actually put run her. Shae Anderson made the Tokyo team but never ran there, even in the mixed heats

Yea but we're diving too deep into specific hypotheticals now though. Quanera Hayes won trials, made the 400m final at the Olympics and never ran the 4x400 or mixed relay.

Point is, Little can easily be named to the relay pool by just making the final.

[Atticus]

Tara Davis 22-1a (6.73) AL in Albuquerque.