Cdn Olympic Track and Field Trials Shocker

[AragornElessar]

Neither Perdita Felicien nor Priscilla Lopes-Schlep will be going to London.

I'm not that surprised by Felicien not making it, as I think she's both past her prime and she never did really come back from that fall in Athens. Lopes-Schlep OTOH...Now that *is* surprising, but she got off balance and crossed into the next lane. That's interference and she knew it too. I thought the little snippet of interview I saw w/Priscilla during CTV National News was pretty classy, as she said it was her own fault and she broke the rules, therefore nothing to be angry over.

Compare that to Perdita who was caught, rather obviously from the video I saw, false starting in her heat. She protested, which allowed her to run in the Final, but the appeal was denied. I didn't see any clips of Perdita being interviewed, but after seeing the video of the disputed start, I'm surprised they even protested.

Or maybe that's just me.

Anyway...What a shocking weekend at various Olympic T&F Trials, huh? And the weekend's not over yet either.

[Dave of the North]

Jessica Zelinka was the winner in 12.68, PB I think and a decent time. And she is also in the heptahlon.

[Fergus]

Oh my!

Here's an article with video.

Dramatique!!! But nice to see Zelinka win it on her own and not b/c someone beat her and then was disqualified.

[professordeb]

Colour me in as another who was just floored by the result of this race. I feel soooooo bad for Priscilla. There goes another medal hopeful.

[Seerek]

6 women had the qualifying standard for the Olympics, so there were going to be 3 women that were going to end up very disappointed.

Don't forget that both Phylicia George and Nikkita Holder both qualified for the final at 2011 Worlds, so this field was unbelievably stacked.

Jessica Zelinka competing in both heptathlon and hurdles at the Olympics will not be that unusual, and she had been on form all week, setting the national record in heptathlon earlier.

[kylet3]

I do ultimately think it's really sad that one race was what determined it. I think Nikkita George is the future for sure and Phylicia George is talented, but this team without Priscilla has zero chance to win a medal in London. Granted I don't disagree with Athletics Canada upholding these results, but with Priscilla being the top Canadian this season and the most accomplished hurdler in Canadian history, to me leaving her off the team is a mistake, because she represented our best chance at a medal in a very deep hurdles field. Jessica Zelinka was fully deserving of winning that race, she definitely earned it and I do believe she have an outside shot of winning a medal in the Heptathlon but I don't think she will win a medal in hurdles. Phylicia can make the final, but I don't believe this group will emerge with a medal.

Dylan Armstrong represents probably our only legtimate hope for a medal in track.

[poths]

6 women had the qualifying standard for the Olympics, so there were going to be 3 women that were going to end up very disappointed.

Don't forget that both Phylicia George and Nikkita Holder both qualified for the final at 2011 Worlds, so this field was unbelievably stacked.

Jessica Zelinka competing in both heptathlon and hurdles at the Olympics will not be that unusual, and she had been on form all week, setting the national record in heptathlon earlier.

Zalinka won't run anything like that in London after a heptathlon. It will take 12.5 to medal, and the only 2 capable of that have been left off the team. The hurdles are such a technical event, obviously both ladies made mistakes but even with those errors they were still close to the other three. I don't see a Canadian in the final now.

[kylet3]

Zalinka won't run anything like that in London after a heptathlon. It will take 12.5 to medal, and the only 2 capable of that have been left off the team. The hurdles are such a technical event, obviously both ladies made mistakes but even with those errors they were still close to the other three. I don't see a Canadian in the final now.

Perdita Felicien hasn't run 12.5's in almost two years, yes Priscilla is obviously capable of that and I disagree with her being left off the team but it is what it is. We have to go with the team that we have. Jessica Zelinka most assuredly can run those times AFTER a Heptathlon because that's exactly what she did at the Trials and that was at altitude as well. She's her PB's by three tenths this year and this after having a baby and reaching age 30. Phylicia George is just 25 and had a PB at trials as well and is a very talented 100m flat sprinter she's competing there as well, Nikkita Holder is the weak link on the team, but she's still a world finalist and has some good experience to draw on, any one of these three is VERY capable of making the finals and when it comes down to finals, anything can happen. Just ask Gail Devers or Lolo Jones. Hurdles is a VERY stacked event, anyone of 15-18 women can win a medal and that includes ALL three Canadian women.