It was like an NBC primetime broadcast. I remember sitting on the floor in our family room, full of anticipation for the BIGGEST night in the history of sports. Slight exaggeration, of course, but track & field will always be special to me, so it was a big deal to me that this 150m race was going to captivate all of North America at 8/7c that night.
The anticipation died quickly as Michael Johnson pulled up with a hamstring injury and couldn't finish the race, giving Bailey the title of World's Fastest Human, or whatever it was they were going after. I quickly forgot who Donovan Bailey even was, though, while Michael Johnson will always be a staple in my T&F memory, right next to Flo-Jo, Carl Lewis, and Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
I walk down random memory lane today because another potential race-off is getting me all sorts of excited. But this one is for more than pride - it's for a spot on the US Olympic team for the Women's 100m race! So much at stake! So much suspense! So much anticipation! So much potential disappointment, if it doesn't happen!
In the women's 100m finals at the U.S. Olympic trials this weekend, Allyson Felix (I really like her!) and Jeneba Tarmoh (trying to get into her first Olympics!) finished in a dead heat for 3rd place - which I didn't even know was possible. But apparently it is. The US Track & Field organization had no plan in place for such an event, so they spent Sunday figuring out the fairest way to decide who gets the spot and the chance to run this event in the Olympics.
Turns out, the fairest way is also the most complicated way:
To break the tie, Felix and Tarmoh will be given a choice between a coin flip or run-off. Should both competitors choose the same option, that option will be used to determine the third spot on the Olympic team. Should one competitor choose run-off but the other a coin flip, a run-off will be held.
However, if both competitors refuse to make a choice, the spot then will be determined by coin flip. If one competitor chooses either option but the other competitor refuses to make a choice, the preference of the first competitor will determine the tiebreak method.
Alternatively, either competitor can choose to cede the spot and assume a spot as an alternate. (Jonathan Baum, Yahoo Sports)
SO - if one of the two women opt for a run-off, then that's what they'll do. Which I hope (and anticipate) will happen! How exciting! What great pre-Olympics buzz?!
Both women are also competing in the 200m race later this week, so I guess they will both hold off on their decisions until after that race is decided, which places me in perpetual agony about what their decisions will be. But I'm sure my agony is much less than theirs, so I shouldn't complain.
But what a great, crazy start to the lead-in for the Olympics! I seriously CAN'T WAIT!
Stay tuned for post Olympic trials, when I find out all of the athletes who will be competing in the Olympics. I'll be putting together a hopefully comprehensive lists of favorite athletes to win and just favorite athletes for me - so you can know who to watch out for/listen for, and who you should be cheering for if you want to cheer with me!
Goodness, I love the Olympics so much! Bring on London!
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