UKA (the governing body for athletics in UK) has published its initial approach to selecting the marathon team for the 2012 Olympics.
What jumps out is the absence of a trial race and an intention to select athletes before the end of 2011 if they are considered a top 8 shot and in possession of an A standard. Top up selections will take place after the 2012 London Marathon.
The 'A' and 'B' standards for men are 2:12:00 and 2:16:00 and for women are 2:31:00 and 2:35:00.
Yet again UKA has gone for tougher standards than the IAAF use and while it would be great to half a dozen lads running 2.10 we don't so I would think that there is a strong possibility of having less than a full mens team on the start line which is disappointing.
Interestingly a top 20 finish in Daegu counts as an 'A' standard so could be the best hope of getting an A standard (especially for the men). So a viable strategy may be sub 2.17 in London 2011, Top 20 in Daegu and then hope that only 2 others do the time. A bit perverse but there you go.
And for all the A and/or B standard questioners if athletes with an A standard are selected (up to 3 of them) then the B standard becomes redundant.
All the details are at http://uka.org.uk/media/news/january-2011/19-01-2011-olympic-selection-policies/
Wednesday 19 January 2011
UK Marathon selection policy for London 2012
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1 comment:
Adrian,
I understand the A and B policy set out by UKA but it makes absolutely no sense to me.
The IAAF regularly set A and B standards as they have two aims - a high level of competition and a high level of participation from many countries. So a lower B standard so each country should have 1 participant makes sense for participation whilst the quality isn't diluted by only being able to send more if they have the A standard.
From UKA it just doesn't make sense. Their usual justification of setting higher standards is that they don't feel it's worthwhile sending someone to just make up the numbers.
Either 2:16 isn't worthwhile to send and they should just have the A standard or it is worthwhile sending a 2:16 runner and they should send all 3.
Just seems like a fobbing off measure because there's no logic behind it from UKA perspective that I see.
Unfortunately there is clearly a huge attitude difference between the athletics community and the powers that be. The powers that be just seem to have very different goals which aren't focused on the athletes (bar a few) at all. I'm not sure anything can be done about that.
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