With the Wanda Diamond League regular season complete except for the finals in Brussels next weekend, and only World Athletics Continental Tour meets this weekend in Bellinzona (SUI), Brescia (ITA), Berlin (GER) and Olsztyn (POL) remaining before the September 1st deadline, here's the follow up to the piece written last week on the Road to the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest in two weeks.
Josh Kerr (Paul Merca photo) of the Brooks Beasts was granted an exceptional entry by World Athletics along with Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen in the men's 1500 meters.
Kerr, who has raced sparingly this season, got in by virtue of his world record in the mile at the London Diamond League meet last month, where he ran 3:42.66. He followed that victory with a win in the Commonwealth Games mile, where he ran 3:54.12 in Glasgow on August 1st.
As we mentioned last week, Katie Moon is already in the meet by virtue of winning the world championships in Tokyo in September.
Moon has been less of a presence on the circuit this season, which was intentional on her part.
"This year was about taking it easier and protecting my energy, being calmer emotionally. After the Monaco meeting I had a good training (block) and now I am jumping myself into shape," she told the media after the Zürich Weltklasse pole vault competition Wednesday.
Here's how things stand after the Zürich Diamond League meet (in the lane events to 800 meters, sixteen qualify; in the 1500 and 5000, twelve qualify, and only eight qualify in the field events for the Ultimate Championships. Not all events are contested in the Ultimate Championships).
WOMEN
Gianna Woodruff, 400H: 5th 1333 points. Washington alum Gianna Woodruff is safely into the Ultimate Championships. Her fifth place finish in Zürich Thursday did not improve on her five-meet average score of 1333 points.
Woodruff is qualified for next week's Diamond League finals, as only eight qualify. The only possible upgrade she can get into the Ultimate Championships is by winning the Diamond League finals.
Hana Moll, PV: 7th, 1286 points. The score next to Hana's name does not reflect the Zürich Weltklasse results, where she won with a personal best 16-0.75 (4.90m).
A victory at a Diamond League regular season meet is worth 140 bonus points, so her total score from Zürich is worth 1379 points.
With next week's Diamond League finals going with a bonus scoring system of 170-150-130-120-110-100-95-90 for places 1-8, it's highly doubtful that anyone can bump Hana out of the top eight.
Two vaulters who could have bumped Hana out are done for the season, as Great Britain's Molly Caudery was injured in June, and Hana's twin sister Amanda called it a season after the Monaco Diamond League meet.
Incidentally, Hana is entered in Sunday's GalAthletics Bellinzona meeting in Switzerland.
MEN
Brandon Miller, 800: 6th, 1344 points. Miller, who did not race this week (Zürich had a men's 800, but it was a non-Diamond League scoring event) is safely in the Ultimate Championships.
Miller's next scheduled race is the Wanda Diamond League finals in Brussels.
Sam Prakel, 1500: 16th, 1266 points. (13 in field; number 13 at 1290 points) Prakel was hoping for an invitation into the Zürich meet. He is entered in the 1500 in Berlin Sunday, which is a World Athletics Continental Tour silver meet (Category B); a win is worth 70 bonus points, with placing points going 12 deep.
Prakel would realistically have to run sub 3:29 and get the win to be in the conversation for a spot in the field of twelve. Additionally, those ahead of Prakel and are competing in the Diamond League finals have the advantage of extra bonus points as opposed to a regular Diamond League meet.
Nathan Green, 1500: 25th, 1250 points. Unless he gets into a meet this weekend, he unfortunately has no shot.
Green has to be mentioned in this as the reigning USA indoor and outdoor champion was the victim of a fall with less than 200 meters to go in the Diamond League meet in Silesia on Sunday, where he was in position for at least a top-eight finish.
While he won the USA outdoor championships, which for bonus points is categorized by World Athletics as a B level meet, his 3:50.27 was only worth 973 points. Adding the 70 points for the win, Green scored 1043 points, which is worth on the scoring tables, a time of 3:44.83.
Had the time been under 3:40, Green would have picked up a minimum of 1177 points (1107 for the time, and 70 for the win).
CJ Allen, 400H: 17th, 1271 points. (number 16 at 1274 points): As he currently has no meets this weekend, he has to hope someone above him withdraws.
In Allen's case, it was a matter of running a few tenths faster and placing higher in four of his higher scoring meets. It's a case of being so close, but yet so far.