Runner Amby Burfoot Puts Olympic Trial Drama In Context

Jeneba Tarmoh (bottom) and Allyson Felix cross the finish line at exactly the same time in the women’s 100 meter dash final during Day Two of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials at Hayward Field on June 23 in Eugene, Oregon. (USTF)

With the start of the summer Olympics a month from today, the members of the American swimming and track and field teams are being selected at the Olympic trials this week.

In swimming, there’s a dramatic competition between Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte, who meet in the finals of the 200-meter freestyle tonight.

And in Eugene, Oregon, the track and field trials have featured a dead heat for third place and a spot on the team in the women’s 100-meter race and a world record in the decathlon.

Amby Burfoot, of Runner’s World, says that he has never seen something like this happen, and he hopes that it is settled with a runoff race.

Today’s a rest day and the trials resume tomorrow with finals in several events, including the men’s and women’s 5,000-meter races.

Olympic Trial Coverage: From Runner’s World And Tracktown 2012

Guest:

Amby Burfoot, Runner’s World editor at large

We welcome comments from all of our listeners. Post below. Please stay on topic and be civil. Comments may be moderated by us, but you are solely responsible for the content of your comments.

waikowhai

Oh dear, you are from Boston, aren’t you? You made your listeners on the West Coast wince with your pronunciation of Oregon. It’s not “Ore-gawn” but more like “Ore-gin”, with the stress on the first syllable.
sonny

Ory-gun, not OR GONE or Ore-gin.
- jryanhn
  
  Our mistake, thanks for the reminder!! -Jill Ryan, H&N
waikowhai

http://inogolo.com/pronunciation/Oregon
Dan Gray

The selection process is not simply, “the top three finishers go.” Athletes have to achieve a particular standard AND finish in the top three. I attended the trials on Monday and saw wonderful, yet bittersweet victories as athletes won or finished in the top three spots in the trials, but will NOT get to go to London because they did not achieve the standard. This was particularly true in the field events.
- Alex Ashlock Here and Now
  
  Good point. Thanks for reminding me of that.