I will miss seeing her mix it up with the best.
I think her letter explains it well: She did much better than she imagined.
I understand not getting up in 2012 after the second fall in a major championship. She was running to win, or at least medal. When you fall in a 1500 at that level of competition you realistically do not have a chance at achieving either one.
She was not competing in 2012 Olympics just to participate or finish. She had previously won, been to and finished major national and international events (US champion, diamond league races, diamond league champ, #1 in world ). Little to be gained from a DFL finish.
Plus she already knew what it was like to get up and finish after falling in 2011 WC final.
In 2012 Uceny was a seasoned competitor. She was not like Abbey D, in Rio ( young and has not won any major national/ international events)
No one really wants to win something in a race because other people were disqualified. You would rather beat them on the track.
Yes some could say that the falls were partially her fault. Everything is partially your fault. There is also an element of luck and chance in everything.
It was her fault that she trained hard, ran fast, was in those finals too,