Grading American track performances at the Paris Olympics

The Paris Olympic Games turned out to be an immensely successful outing for track and field athletes from the United States. Seeing as each country is allowed three entrants in each individual event and one team for each relay, there were 48 events with 132 possible medals for any one county. Americans outperformed and earned 34 medals — 14 gold, 11 silver, and 9 bronze. 

At a track meet filled with superlatives, there are bound to be questions about how performances compare across disciplines or which athletes most exceeded expectations. Who emerged on the world stage? Who went home devastated? This article will attempt to answer the ponderings of the hardcore fan by grading every runner from the United States at the Paris Olympics.

Grading Details

• Field events, multis, and race walking are excluded
• Athletes who competed in multiple events are graded on their aggregate performance
• Alternates for relays are included on a case-by-case basis
• A+ isn’t a valid grade
• There is no curve or normalization of the distribution of grading
• No post-Olympics statements or revelations are taken into account

A: Grant Fisher (10000m, 5000m)

Grant Fisher earned bronze both in an excellent 10k field and a great 5k field. He’s now one of the world’s best and, undoubtedly, the best-ever American distance runner. His fitness is fantastic and his kick is now world-class. Fisher’s unprecedented success in the distance events on the track has changed the way the United States is perceived on the global stage.

This pair of “minor” medals is transformative for Fisher, and for the USA.

A: Sydney McGlaughlin-Levrone (400mH, 4 x 400m)

The women’s 400mH race isn’t fun to watch anymore — Sydney has totally dominated it. Her result was predictable which is why superfans had been begging her to try the flat 400 or even the 200m, an event in which she had a promising early season result.

Regardless of what could have been, Sydney performed at her absolute best with another world record in the 400mH and a masterful 400m leg in the 4x4. Both races were a pleasure to watch.

Sydney met expectations. The only surprise was her ridiculous 47.71 relay leg, but the team could have really used that in the mixed relay instead. Without the world record, this was an A-.

A: Cole Hocker (1500m)

In winning 1500m gold, Cole Hocker dethroned Josh Kerr, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, and Yared Nuguse, each in their own way.

He became the top American by defeating Nuguse. He toppled the defending World Champion and self-proclaimed excellent kicker Josh Kerr. He beat one of the greatest of all time, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, handily.

Cole Hocker’s 1500m performance proved that he has the best kick in the world. It also proved what he’s been saying all season, that he’s a much-improved runner who can kick off a fast initial pace. Hocker winning in an Olympic record 3:27.65 still feels like a dream. He has totally shifted the landscape in this event, and it can be said that his success here inspired the American success that permeated through the rest of the competition. 

A: Anna Cockrell (400mH)

Anna Cockrell took advantage of Femke Bol taking a risk to chase Sydney and scored a convincing silver medal in the low hurdles. The last 50m of her race were a sight to behold as she destroyed Bol.

Ignoring Femke Bol’s altitude-aided 400mH PR set this year, Anna Cockrell’s 51.87 after two rounds now places her on nearly even footing with Bol heading into next season.

A: Rai Benjamin (400mH, Men’s 4 x 400m)

Rai Benjamin earned two Olympic golds. In the 400m hurdles, he soundly defeated longtime rivals Karsten Warholm and Alison dos Santos. In the 4 x 400m, he anchored the US team with a 43.1 split and scared the world record. At age 27, Rai Benjamin has entered the prime of his career.

A: Quincy Hall (400m)

Quincy Hall, who apparently ran the 400m final with an injury, managed a stunning comeback in the final 100m to win the race in one of the fastest performances of all time. Hall, a former 400m hurdler, alluded to trying out different events in his post-race interview. He went from being a contender for bronze to a legend in the sport.

His injury kept him out of the 4 x 400m, and his absence there likely kept the USA short of the world record.

A: Kenneth Rooks (3000m Steeplechase)

Rooks ran the most confident race of the Olympics with an early kick that almost dislodged Soufiane El Bakkali from his perch as the world’s best and, indirectly, sent Lemecha Girma to the hospital

Despite kicking early and a late response by El Bakkali, Rooks found another gear to hold on to silver. This race will be remembered as the most dramatic steeplechase race of this generation.

A: Gabby Thomas (200m, 4 x 100m, 4 x 400m)

The Paris Olympics presented a dreamlike scenario for Gabby Thomas as she won the 200m and ran on the USA’s gold-medal-winning relay squads. The only knock on her performance at the games was that, in the 4 x 100m, she gripped the baton awkwardly and passed it awkwardly, and so bears some responsibility for Sha’Carri having to make up so much ground on the anchor leg.

Gabby Thomas is this season’s most exciting American sprinter.

A-: Noah Lyles (100m, 200m)

Noah Lyles defeated Kishane Thompson to win his “weak” event in a new PR of 9.78. He then contracted an illness and was good for just third in the 200m, an event where many thought he had a chance of breaking the world record. He didn’t run the relay for the USA.

For an A, Noah needed a sub-9.70 100m, the double, or a legitimate crack at the WR.

A-: Melissa Jefferson (100m, 4 x 100m)

Jefferson fought for a hard-earned bronze in the 100m, taking advantage of the lack of Jamaicans in the final. She had a real chance of defeating a sloppy Sha’Carri. She also passed the stick well in the relay final.

A-: Grant Holloway (110mH)

Grant Holloway made a claim to GOAT status with a 12.99 performance in the 110mH. He wasn’t challenged by old or former rivals. He was also nowhere near the world record of 12.80 or his PR of 12.81. For an A, Grant needed sub 12.90 or a 4 x 100m relay leg.

A-: Masai Russel (100mH)

Masai Russell won a tight gold in an exciting women’s 100mH race. It would have been nice if she had broken the Olympic record of 12.26 by running at or below her PR of 12.25. Perennial favorite Jasmine Camacho-Quinn proved to be greatly diminished this year.

A-: Bryce Hoppel (800m)

With Hoppel’s last-minute entering and then last-last-minute pulling out of the 800m at the Monaco Diamond League, he was probably good for fifth in the Olympic field, behind Arop, Sedjati, Wanyonyi, and Tual. He ended up beating Tual and destroying the American record with a 1:41.67 for fourth place. The rest of those names did beat him and beat him convincingly.

This result has to be one of the most frustrating results for any athlete at these Olympics. The men’s 800 was taken to a new level this season, and though Hoppel met the challenge at the biggest stage, he finished just off the medal stand.

If Hoppel ran down Sedjati for third on the home straight, it would have meant an essentially perfect outing for the American men at these Olympics.

A-: Vernon Norwood (Mixed 4 x 400m, Men’s 4 x 400m)

Vernon Norwood will go down in history as one of the most consistent, likable, and fast 400m runners of his era. With a PR of 44.10, it’s hard to believe that he has never stood on the podium at a major championship. He’s won 11 global relay medals, including two at World Indoors.

Norwood gets the A- here because his patient 43.6 saved the men’s 4 x 400m preliminary after Quincy Wilson’s disastrous opening leg. He also ran an outstanding 43.3-second leg in the final. Also, he was flawless in the mixed 4 x 400m, in which the United States broke the world record.

A-: Hobbs Kessler (800m, 1500m)

Hobbs Kessler put together one hell of a season. After going pro out of high school, the 21-year-old American has emerged as a dual threat on the world stage. He ran 3:29.45 to finish fifth in the 1500m final just behind Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Incredibly, this meant he was the third American finisher. Through the rounds, he ran like a seasoned pro. If he does continue competing this season, it’s likely he can hit 3:28 in a paced 1500m.

The 800m was more of a victory lap considering the relatively low expectations coming into the Olympics. Kessler was eliminated in his semifinal after finishing way back in 1:46.20.

A-: Fred Kerley (100m, 4 x 100m)

Bronze in the 100m was not the finale Fred Kerley was hoping for. In a turbulent season that saw him part ways from his sponsor and saw him drop out of the mainstream conversation as a 100m contender, a medal of any color brings serious vindication. The final was tight, and Kerley’s strong start placed the pressure on Kishane Thompson which caused him to tie up early and lose to Noah Lyles.

Kerley’s 4 x 100m anchor leg was doomed due to multiple botched handoffs.

A-: Daniel Roberts (110mH)

Outleaning Rasheed Broadbent for silver behind his training partner had to have been a special moment. Roberts has proved now that if there is ever an instance where Grant isn’t in a high hurdles race, he’s the guy to beat.

What’s incredible about Roberts’ performance is that his start was amazing and he staggered after making major contact with hurdle four. If he hadn’t bobbed hurdle three and then flopped four, he probably would have won gold. How is that for a reversal? Nobody will remember Roberts’ insane recovery early in the race, but it means that he’s just as fast as Holloway now.

A-: Juliette Whittaker (800m)

Juliette Whittaker’s performances through the rounds in Paris were epic. She ran 2:00.45, 1:57.76, and then 1:58.50 in the final. This is one athlete whose “loss” in the final was actually a huge win. Dipping under 1:58 for a big PR in the semi was way beyond what anyone was expecting from her. Coming back and giving a fast, honest effort in the final was delightful to watch.

With no Athing Mu, a medal in the 800m would have crowned Whittaker the Next Great American, and one of the most surprisingly successful female performers of the Olympic Games. Only Great Britain’s Georgia Bell (1500m bronze) ranks ahead of her on that list.

A-: Clayton Young and Conner Mantz (Marathon)

The men’s marathon field was outstanding, and the course was considered to be grueling. Who better to tackle this challenge than two former BYU standouts who have a reputation for gritty racing and consistent performances in big races?

Conner Mantz and Clayton Young are both excellent road runners. In this grading scheme, though, their accomplishments have been combined into something singular, because the two seem to be better than the sum of their parts. Mantz, considered the superior athlete, ran bravely and was contesting for the lead at the halfway mark. Anyone who woke up at 3 a.m. EST to use the restroom would have been excited to see that. By the end of the race, Young was just 32 seconds behind him as they finished eighth and ninth.

The performance is significant because their finishing times, 2:08:12 and 2:08:44, were well under what would have been considered “good” for an Olympic marathon. Olympic marathon courses are always slower than the flat courses used in major marathons. The two men ran close to their all-time PRs and were within striking distance of the podium.

This was the closest thing to a “win” that American distance running could have hoped to eek out of this crowded marathon field.

B+: Brittany Brown (200m)

Brittany Brown ran 22.20 to win bronze in the 200m behind Gabby Thomas and Julien Alfred. The story of the race was Gabby Thomas blowing everyone’s doors off. Brown should have been able to clip Julien Alfred for silver.

B+: Christian Coleman (4 x 100m)

It’s hard to believe that Christian Coleman failed to qualify for the US team at 100m or 200m. The cloud hanging over him is that he hasn’t been the same since returning from his suspension.

Even though the men’s 4 x 100m team was disqualified as a result of Christian Coleman’s botched handoff to Kenny Bednarek, Coleman wasn’t at fault. In fact, Coleman’s opening split was one of the fastest ever recorded for the first turn in the relay. It’s a shame that Kenny Bednarek took off so early.

B+: Yared Nuguse (1500m)

Nuguse beat Jakob with a late kick. Somehow, beating Jakob at the Olympics meant settling for third place. Nuguse, considered to have the best engine and the best ability to compete head-to-head with Jakob, ran an uninspiring race. He now has to work through this mental block where Cole Hocker and Josh Kerr are capable of running insanely fast times and then kicking. They’re set to eat Nuguse’s lunch every time it matters.

Though his tactics left something to be desired, this was a monumental performance for Nuguse and American middle-distance running in general. His pulling out of the 1500m at the Paris Olympics is now forgiven.

B+: Dakotah Lindwurm (Marathon)

Lindwurm placed 12th in the Olympic Marathon. She showed true confidence in leading the race at some point, and her performance speaks to her massive potential in the event. Dakotah was a virtual unknown until this year, so though her performance is borderline A-minus, the back half of her race wasn’t quite at the same level as Mantz or Young.

B+: Graham Blanks (5000m)

Graham Blanks had to sit and wait for a bit after USAs to find out whether he’d be going to Paris. The 22-year-old from Harvard came back from injury during this outdoor season to not just qualify for the Olympic games, but to finish 9th in the final in 13:18.67.

The 5k final saw a late surge of pace that really only started rolling with 600m to go. Up until that point, Blanks ran a composed race and stuck with the leaders. He closed in 55.9 but was outside of the camera shot on the last lap. Behind Blanks, however, were 13 athletes, many of them seasoned pros. This was a dream performance for Blanks.

B+: Nico Young (10000m)

Nico Young ran a brave race and stuck with 12 of the world’s best distance runners until the very end. He beat Woody Kincaid by over 30 seconds and finished 15 seconds off of the podium. This was a massive result for a college kid, albeit one who has been accompanied by massive expectations since high school.

Nico continues to improve season after season, and those who followed him in high school will recognize him now as a comprehensively better runner. His performance differs from Blanks’ in that the 10k was a higher-quality field and a more competitive race, in terms of how close the times were to the world record.

B+: Christopher Bailey (400m, 4 x 400m)

There was immense pressure on Chris Bailey to anchor the Quincy-Wilson-weakened 4 x 400m relay team to a qualifying spot. He ran a measured race and a strong 44.0 to slot the United States into third. He also ran a strong leg in the final.

Bailey’s sixth-place finish in the 400m final was disappointing, but it came after he set a new PR of 44.31 in the semifinal. Nothing more could have been asked of Christopher Bailey. His future is bright.

B: Kenny Bednarek (100m, 200m, 4 x 100m)

Kenny Bednarek was a popular pick for second in the 200m. He finished ahead of (sick) teammate Noah Lyles but behind Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo. He also showed major improvements in the 100m this year, qualifying for the US team, making the final, and finishing seventh in 9.88.

Unfortunately, Bednarek’s early takeoff as the second leg of the USA men’s 4 x 100m relay team will be remembered as one of the most devastating gaffes in professional sprinting. Bednarek took off too early, Christian Coleman couldn’t catch him, and he kept the USA’s curse in this relay alive. The team was disqualified. This one will haunt him and he’ll spend the rest of his career making amends.

B: Sha’Carri Richardson (100m, 4 x 100m)

Silver behind Julien Alfred is going to sting. There is a sentiment that Sha’Carri regressed at the Olympics. Through the rounds, her start was never where it needed to be. In the final, her reaction time was laughably slow. Without any of the Jamaican trio from Budapest in the final, SCR had a relatively easy path to silver. She ran an unimpressive 10.87 behind Julien Alfred for the biggest anticlimax to any American storyline.

In the 4 x 100m final, Sha’Carri anchored the team to an easy gold. She shot an intimidating glance to her right once she knew she had cleared the field.

B: Bryce Deadmon (Men’s 4 x 400m, Mixed 4 x 400m)

Though Deadmon ran a snappy 43.54 in the men’s 4 x 400m final, his 44.66 in the mixed relay final contributed to the United States getting kicked down by the Netherlands. He’s been a solid performer on the US relay squad, but the 44.66 here exposes him to some scrutiny.

B: Parker Valby (10000m)

Parker Valby finished 11th as the third American in a global final. Why she outranks the two Americans who beat her is that she is relatively inexperienced, still riding the high of a collegiate season for the ages and that she actually made a move toward the lead later in the race. There’s not much to analyze here, aside from Parker Valby being the real deal, and her having a higher racing IQ than previously suspected (she has led pretty much every other race she’s ever competed in).

B: Whittni Morgan (5000m)

Joining Parker Valby as the third American, but in the 5k, Wittni Morgan outranks her compatriots because she’s relatively new to the pro ranks and managed to run a personal best in the final in less-than-ideal conditions. Morgan ran 14:53.57 for 14th. By all accounts, this is a B performance for her.

B: TeeTee Terry (100m, 4 x 100m)

TeeTee qualified for the 100m final and placed fifth. She has emerged as a world-class sprinter in the absence of the Jamaicans and also established herself as a role player for Team USA, running an excellent 9.98 in the second leg of the 4 x 100m final.

B: Alexis Holmes (400m)

Alexis Holmes ran 50.00 and then a PR of 49.77 in the 400m final. That performance only earned her sixth place. She closed well in the women’s 4 x 400m relay, running 48.78 which was second, in absolute terms, only to Femke Bol’s 48.62. 

B-: Kaylyn Brown & Shamier Little (Mixed 4 x 400m)

These two women ran very good mixed 4 x 400m legs. Kaylyn Brown’s strong anchor leg in the prelim secured the world record in this young event for the United States. Unfortunately, Shamier Little and Kaylyn Brown were outclassed by Lieke Klaver and Femke Bol in the final, running 49.39, 49.23 to 49.26, 48.00. The United States ended up with silver here, losing to the Netherlands by .29.

It’s not so much that these two women failed, but the US was punished for not running their best women in this event.

Shamier Little also ran the women’s 4 x 400m, and had an outstanding opening leg that set the stage for Sydney’s epic 47.71.

B-: Grace Stark (100mH)

Grace Stark ran a great 12.43 for fifth place in the 100mH final. In such a tight race, a slightly different execution and one error from a competitor could have meant a medal for Stark. She slowed over the final three hurdles but showed she has all the tools to compete at this level.

B-: Weini Kelati Frezghi & Karissa Schweizer (10000m), Elise Cranny & Karissa Schweizer (5000m)

Kelati and Schweizer finished eighth and ninth in the 10k. Aside from two or three surges that ended up not making a difference, these women were uninteresting pack runners. The United States had a decent showing, but someone should have risked it for a medal. These women did not take any big risks, and their performances compared to, say, Nico Young, were certainly worse.

Schweizer also ran the 5k where she was joined by Elise Cranny. Unfortunately, that result was pretty similar, where the women finished 10th and 11th.

C+: Trevor Bassitt and CJ Allen (400mH)

Trevor Bassitt will have to be disappointed with not making the 400mH final. His 48.29, quite a bit off what he ran at USAs, was good for fourth in a brutal semifinal that featured Alison dos Santos and Karsten Warholm. Considering only the top two auto-qualified and that dos Santos ahead of him nabbed a time qualifier, Bassitt was in a difficult position. He ended up getting edged out for the second time qualifying spot by .09.

CJ Allen also did not advance past the semis. He ran 48.44 for fourth in his heat which placed him one spot behind Bassitt in the compiled results from the semis. Both men ran well and were incredibly close to the promised land, but they ended up just short of the final.

C+: Aaliyah Butler & Kendall Ellis (400m)

This wasn’t a strong showing from the United States in the one-lap race. Kendall Ellis had to qualify for the semi through the repechage round, and then she and Aaliyah Butler found themselves far outside of qualifying for the final. Ellis outranks Butler here for running 50.44 in the repechage and 50.40 in the semi, but they’re both in the C range.

C+: Allie Wilson (800m)

In qualifying for the US team, Allie Wilson staked her claim to have moved beyond her national class designation. In Paris, though, she ran like a national class athlete, with a 1:59 in a tough first round and then another 1:59 in the repechage. She would not have been a factor in the final, but it would have been good practice for her to take a major shot in the semis like Juliette Whittaker did. Allie Wilson will need a big offseason to make the team again in 2025.

C+: McKenzie Long (200m)

It’s been a long season for McKenzie Long, who just graduated from Ole Miss. She qualified for the 200m final but ran an unimpressive final, finishing seventh in 22.42. She really, really should have been able to take down the Brits Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita.

C+: Erriyon Knighton (200m)

Knighton didn’t live up to expectations this year. The doping case against him, which is likely not yet settled, now casts doubt on his ascension as a teenager to the top of the sport. He was expected to get creamed by Lyles, Bednarek, and Tebogo at the Paris Olympics, and that’s exactly what happened. Fourth place in this event is brutal, and with a 19.99 in the final, it’s probably time for him to shut down his season.

C: Courtney Wayment (3k Steeplechase)

Courtney Wayment stuck with the chase pack for most of the race but didn’t have anything on the last lap. She finished way back in the field and far off her PR of 9:06. To be clear, there was no hope of medaling in this field, but a 9:05 or 9:06 would have taken her to a B-range grade.

C: Freddie Crittenden (110mH)

Crittenden’s presence on the US team meant a real chance of a podium sweep in the 110mH. As defending Olympic champion Hansle Parchment struggled through the rounds, this seemed even more likely. Crittenden only finished sixth in the final. Oddly, he didn’t have any clear rhythm breaks during the race, he just looked flat. 13.32 is not a fast time. Something went wrong for him.

C: Emily Sisson (Marathon)

Emily Sisson’s 2:29:53 for 23rd makes her the poster child for middling performances in the long-distance races.

C: Matthew Wilkinson (3000m Steeplechase)

Wilkinson was a dark horse this year. As fate would have it, his Paris qualifying heat was–by far–the fastest of the three, and he finished one second and one spot from qualifying. This was, surely, a disappointing end for him, but his 8:16.82 essentially equaled his personal best.

C: Brandon Miller (800m)

Miller let himself get swept to the repechage round, then won his repechage heat, then found himself too far off the pace in his 800 semifinal. Miller put in three quality 800s at the Olympics but didn’t ever show signs of being a medal threat, or even being able to match his sub-1:44 PR from USAs. His performance does give credence to the idea that Clayton Young would have been a better dark horse here.

C: Elle St. Pierre (1500m)

The 1500m final started at breakneck pace and Elle was baited into running well beyond what she is capable of. She sat in second place as the leader went through 400m in 59.23, a nonsensical opener. That said, she earned her place on the rail and was composed enough to throw in a few surges before getting dropped by the leaders at 1200m.

If this was the 1500m of two years ago where it was Kipyegon and then whoever was willing to risk it, this strategy would have made more sense. In today’s women’s 1500m, three women finished under 3:53 and Jess Hull, who was considered a direct rival to Elle earlier this season, had already established herself as the silver medal favorite. St. Pierre holding on for a 3:57.52 was impressive, but she needed to emulate Laura Muir’s sit-and-kick strategy if she wanted any shot at medals or a meaningful PR.

C: Nikki Hiltz (1500m)

Nikki Hiltz was flummoxed by the early pace and seemed to have trouble deciding how to run the 1500m final. Considered a shoo-in for the final but an outside shot for a medal, Nikki finished seventh in 3:56.38 while never really being in the race. In a way, there was a measured bet that a handful of runners ahead of her would falter, but Nikki only managed to kick down teammate Elle St. Pierre.

C: Woody Kincaid (10000m)

Known for his excellent kick, Woody had realistic medal odds in a specific type of 10k: a slow one. As soon as the pace picked up, a spectator could have said “well, Kincaid is cooked now” and would have been correct. Woody fell off the pace fairly early and finished 16th in 27:29.40. He’s still a world-class 10k guy, but he needed a pedestrian race.

C-: Emily Mackay (1500m)

Emily Mackay qualified for the semifinal but then ran a 4:02 for last place. She wasn’t shouldering particularly heavy expectations, but her bombing out was surpassed only by Abdi Nur’s trip.

C-: Marisa Howard (3k Steeplechase)

Marisa Howard was a beneficiary of the openness of the women’s 3k steeple field in the US this year. Unfortunately, she ran nowhere near her 9:07 PR from Eugene and finished 7th in the first round.

C-: Nia Akins (800m)

Nia Akins finished third in her semifinal, failed to run a time qualifier, and did not advance to the 800m final. The harsh grade is due to the perception that Akins, either in a world of hurt or not fully grasping the qualifying process, seemed to ease up at the end of her race. By easing up, Akins let what would have been an easy time qualifier (less than .5 seconds) slip away from her.

Seeing as Mary Moraa wasn’t unbeatable this year and Athing Mu didn’t qualify, Akins was America’s best shot to medal in the 800m in Paris.

D+: Alaysha Johnson (100mH)

Alaysha Johnson got off to a great start in the 100m hurdles final. She was set to contend for a medal. Unfortunately, she tripped on the third hurdle and appeared to let the field move away from her for the rest of the race. 

D+: Val Constien (3k Steeplechase)

With about 1k to go in the 3k steeplechase final, Constien began fading. Once she knew she was out of it, she let the race get away from her, and finished in last place in 9:34.08. She essentially gave up 10 seconds per lap for the last two laps. The critique here is that if someone is going to be okay with jogging home in an Olympic final, they should run much more aggressively than in the middle of the chase pack.

D: Leonard Korir (Marathon)

After all the hype surrounding Korir’s qualification to the games, he ran a disappointing 2:18.45 for 63rd place. He ran near the back of the pack for most of the race.

D: Michael Norman (400m)

Norman finished last in the 400m final in 45.62. This result capped another uninteresting season for the combo sprinter who was once considered the premier talent in the 400m. He put up 44.26 and 44.10 in the rounds, but he failed to hold it together in the final. There’s a chance he picked up an injury, or that he had an injury all along, but this final was tailor-made for him. His failure to medal in the context of the emergent Quincy Hall, the phenom Quincy Wilson, and the improving Christopher Bailey means Norman’s stock has fallen precipitously.

D: Abdi Nur (5000m)

Abdi Nur fell at the tail end of his 5000m heat. Unfortunately, the fall was his fault, and there was no way for him to qualify to the final on protest. Even without the fall, he likely wasn’t in a good enough position to advance.

D-: James Corrigan (3000m Steeplechase)

Coming off a fairytale of a season in which he placed third at the US Trials and then ran a last-minute qualifying race at the University of Pennsylvania, Corrigan ran a poor 8:36.67 in the first round of steeple qualifying. It’s possible that there was illness or injury at play, but a more likely scenario is that it’s been a long, long season for the rising BYU junior. He’ll now be thrown into Cross Country training as he hunts for NCAA titles this year.

D-: Quincy Wilson (Men’s 4 x 400m)

Quincy Wilson was one of the most-talked-about general interest stories of these Olympic Games. At 16 years old, the high school phenom is now the youngest Olympic gold medalist. Unfortunately, Wilson was nursing an injury and his 47-second split placed the US men’s chances of advancing out of the preliminary rounds at risk.

F: Fiona O’Keefe (Marathon)

Fiona O’Keefe ran the Olympic Marathon with a bad injury. She dropped back as the gun fired and DNF’d early. There is still active debate as to the precise circumstances and whether she did indeed deprive the backup runner Jess McClain of a spot on the team, or if the injury came after the point that the team could have tapped an alternate.