WTF: Beamish out of steeple

Honestly this made me so sad he has had such a great season

Can’t believe he didn’t make it. OAC have really struggled this year

Either he was overconfident or his body was weak today. No reason he shouldn’t have been up with Rooks/the leaders the whole time. Very confusing and disappointing.

Feel like my dog just got shot

Not so fast… seems like this was part of a larger plan.

I wonder why he didn't enter the 5000m as well in case something like this happened.

Have to guess no top gear with his recent injury issues. Or the entire training group (other than possibly Nuguse) got sick this last week. Or Ritz truly did mess this year up.

He was sick with Bronchitis and apprently some physical neggle but still managed to run 8:09 after/during those struggles.

whatever the reason, such a shame to see. Starting to understand all of the criticism of Ritz this year

He clearly had a lot of energy left at the end. If he had just gotten a bit closer sooner that would've been a cakewalk. Can't make sense of this.

No worries, he's gaming the system in the repechage heat.

Weird only nuguse is doing well. Former OAC Alicja Konieczek running very well, wonder what she changed in training from OAC?

All the fanboys making excuses. He was rubbish! He is over rated! Just like Hoare he will never win a major outdoor medal! Great choice of group Maia Ramsden! I thought people who go to Harvard are smart!

The way he always races finally had some obvious consequences. It is maddening to watch this talented man who should be a steeple medalist, hang waaay in the back and finish in 5th/6th every time. Well he did it again, and was 6th instead of 5th. Actually a completely predictable result. He 100% brought this on himself.

If you look at their track record every year, they’re always firing on all cylinders for indoor and then kind of disappoint at the championships.

2021/2022 you can throw around the new team/young athletes reasons. A lot of them were 23-25 just out of college. They all kinda performed to their max ability, expect Olli missing the worlds final was a surprise.

2023, I’d say Alicia 5th in the 10k last year was excellent considering the competition. And Beamish 5th at worlds 3 months after going over a hurdle for the first time also really good. Joe Klecker was awful, Olli was injured and nuguse should’ve medaled the way he had been running + 3:43 after worlds.

And now 2024, what the heck is going on? Both 10k runners too injured to run the trials, Beamish wins world indoors and 6 months later doesn’t make the final. Olli is flat, Mario hasn’t been the same since his last year of college. Josette and Sage run times that should make the team but don’t.

I’m wondering if Ritz trains them so hard right out of college to be at a world level and now it’s catching up to them right when they’re supposed to be getting to their peak. It’s too much too fast?

I've said this on other threads, but I'm convinced the training is cooking them. It worked for a year or two, then everyone started to break down or underperform. Here's a lot of flexing about crushing hard workouts that comes from the group, but as Jakob has said, that tends to indicate a lack of confidence. Realistically, only Nuguse can salvage anything for OAC from this Olympics, and I'm not confident about him doing it when it counts. Other than that, Sinta Vissa will do well to get to the semi and McDonald probably won't make the final. Obiri is still my pick for gold but that will be papering over the cracks for the group. A big reset looks to be needed for next season

If you have a valid point, maybe try again without being inflammatory?

Nuguse looked really good yesterday so I think he’ll show up tomorrow; HOWEVER, I think there is a chance he can run a great race and get 4th. Behind Kerr Jakob and Cole.

That wouldn’t be a disaster as those guys are REALLY good.

If he isn’t in it with 50m to go, Ritz is gonna have to answer some questions though

I can’t see Nuguse winning it though. I think in every scenario, one guy is a little bit better.

Here's what he told reporters:

Initial reaction
“Pretty gutted. Pretty sore. Would’ve loved to be in that final Wednesday. It’s sad not to be there, but grateful to make the start line.”

On his recovery from injury/bronchitis:

“Yeah pretty much not at all. Pretty much in the same place I was in a Paris. Unfortunately, it was pretty rough month, just been in pain every single day...Just wasn't able to get in the training required to complete this level. I haven't done a barrier since Paris. I haven’t even done a stride after an easy run. It’s been in too much pain to do that – just been gritting my teeth through a workout and then been on the bike for two days after every session in St. Moritz. It was a hard month to get through. There were a lot of times I didn’t think I would make the start line. But happy to have made it and it was cool to be there.”

On what it meant to represent his country at the Olympics despite it not being the result that he wanted:

"It’s pretty incredible to see the support garnered through going to the Olympics. It feels that half of Hawke’s Bay, where I am from, is out in Paris. I looked up into the crowd and saw my girlfriend and siblings, and I was tearing up on the start line. It’s pretty special."