Brit Rebecca Lyne?

[mump boy]

I agree with Matt and The Captain. It is really hard on Meadows, but she had the chance to win the nationals and perhaps secure her place but she didnt. Lynne improved by 3 secs in one race and wasnt far behind the other 3 Brits in London. She should definately be under 2mins by Osaka.

i think becky should be selected, i really like jenny and it does seem unfair, she always seems to miss out but i was really dissapointed with her run in London. she never got in the race was near the back the whole time and only ran away from becky in the last 50m. if she had run an aggressive race and beaten becky convincingly i would be all for dselecting her but. in 3 weeks time becky will be under 2 mins and in the final, i've no cinfidence jenny would get through the 1st round

[peach]

i think becky should be selected, i really like jenny and it does seem unfair, she always seems to miss out but i was really dissapointed with her run in London. she never got in the race was near the back the whole time and only ran away from becky in the last 50m. if she had run an aggressive race and beaten becky convincingly i would be all for dselecting her but. in 3 weeks time becky will be under 2 mins and in the final, i've no cinfidence jenny would get through the 1st round

However, i wonder how much of that was the belief that if she beat Becky, she would be put in the team- however misguided that was...

I certainly didn't see Lyne pulling the 2:00 out of the bag after her recent performances and maybe Meadows just thought that's all she had to do and was nervously trying to do that more than anything else...you can't blame her, however misguided she may have been

[Justin Clouder]

I agree that Lyne is, when fit, as better athlete. She may also be faster by Osaka. I also recognise that under the UKA selection criteria Lyne would be a logical pick.

However, I don't accept that the winning of the maximum number of medals should be (though I know it is) the primary aim of team selection. Jenny Meadows should go because she has earned the right to. I don't see her position as any different to Mary Wineberg for example - others might like it better if someone else is on the team, but that's just tough. I think it should be the same with Meadows.

But to emphasise, I am disagreeing with the whole selection philosophy, not with any of the points made above in favour of Lyne, who I recognise is a fine athlete and a lovely person too.

Justin

[BYU grad]

I'm still here - just a bit busy. And there are plenty other Brits about to answer questions on Lyne.

Lyne might be improving, but she will still lack the fitness required to run three rounds within 4/5 days and then challenge in the final. Her biggest strength last year - her finishing kick - is just not there this year, so I don't know how well she'll fare outside of one-off races.

If she is left off the team, she'll be more hungry for next year. Meadows might not get another chance to compete in the 800m at a Major Champs - she has run the A standard once and the B standard 11 times now. And, of course, she beat Lyne yesterday.

Jon...glad you're back on the board...and thanks for your feedback re: Lyne.

[Jon]

Lyne has been given the place over Meadows. :?

[Matt]

Nobody disputes that it is tough on Jenny, but the right decision nonetheless.

[Jon]

the right decision

Time will tell.

[eldrick]

becky must be thanking her lucky stars she's not american ! :P

[Matt]

True.....but I do think it will also help her OG preparations.

Peter Elliott, never one to mince his words, believed she should be picked:

"I'm sure Becky wouldn't go unless she felt she could do herself and the team justice.

"Her time at Crystal Palace was a massive improvement and obviously she will get much better training wise in the three weeks before the championships.

"I'm sure, given the progress she has made, she will be ready to run under two minutes. It will be tough on Jenny to miss out, but that would be my choice."

Elliott himself missed out to Coe for the last 1500m spot in 1984. He kept Coe out of the 1988 squad and one of the English tabloids ran a disgraceful cartoon depicting Coe as a thoroughbred and Elliott as the chosen carthorse. The newspaper even encouraged its readers to wear 'Coe must go to Seoul' badges. Elliott had the last laugh, of course.....

[Justin Clouder]

This may be the 'right' decision in terms of ultimate medal tally but it sucks morally.

So does the omission of Emeka Udechuku.

Dave Collins has been on the airwaves again talking about picking athletes to fulfill "our objectives" meaning those of UKA. This is just all wrong - wtf have UKA's objectives got to do with anything? Athletics is about the athletes' individual objectives, not Dave Collins's. I believe in him less every time I hear him speak.

We are going to see what happened in swimming if this continues - lots of people will just walk away from the sport, we'll win no more medals than we did before and meanwhile good people like Nick Nieland and Emeka Udechuku get the shaft. (Would someone please explain what is achieved by leaving out Udechuku? How does this help to win more medals?).

What a crock of...

IMHO!

Justin

[Matt]

Justin - isn't it the case though that EU has always bombed when it comes to the championships? And I'd bet my last dollar that Nieland would not qualify for the final, were he to be picked.

[Powell]

Would someone please explain what is achieved by leaving out Udechuku?

A saving of a couple thousand quid, I suppose.

[The Captain]

Nieland seems to be unfit, I don't have a problem with his non-selection. Udechuku should have been picked however.

[peach]

Nieland seems to be unfit, I don't have a problem with his non-selection. Udechuku should have been picked however.

I'd agree with that. Udechuku seems to have been coming into something approaching consistency this season

Nieland is unfit and, I imagine, he wasn't picked due more to that (and probably him admitting as such) than anything else.

Surely if Udechuku can throw around 63m he could make a final in Osaka which would be of a huge benefit. Big error if you ask me...

[Justin Clouder]

Justin - isn't it the case though that EU has always bombed when it comes to the championships? And I'd bet my last dollar that Nieland would not qualify for the final, were he to be picked.

Maybe, maybe not. I don't care, it's his problem. He's our top discus man, a good guy and a true servant of the sport. A trip to Osaka is the least he deserves after having to throw on crappy fields outside stadia in the UK because the facilities are so bad.

Justin