The Olympic Track and Field Trials is going on these two weeks where athletes compete for spots on the U.S. Olympic Team. The U.S. can send the top three in each event to the Olympic Games in London. Last night, there was a
tie for third place and the last qualifying spot in the women’s 100 meters race. Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh (who happened to be training partners) ran exactly the same times, and in photographs of the finish, it was a dead heat. Who won the race was not controversial — they definitely were tied. And the rule book has no tie-breaker procedures. The officials will sort things out in the coming days and weeks.
I’ve been thinking of these two athletes and what they must be going through. They are both disappointed that after training for the Olympics for years and running several heats and the finals of this race, they still don’t know if they got the job to represent the U.S. in London. They are so close to making the team. There is one more spot for the job, and they might flip a coin for it (seriously), some time later. And they have no control over the procedures. They just have to wait.
Does this sound familiar to you? Have you ever applied for an internship or a job, thinking that you’re qualified for it, knowing how wonderful it would be to have it, hit it off with all of the interviewers, and then was told that the employer doesn’t have a decision yet? Maybe they even told you that you’re a terrific candidate, but there are many great candidates for one job. What should you do?
What did Felix and Tarmoh, who are at the top of their field, do? Call the USATF incessantly? Sit at home and complain about why they can’t make one more qualifying spot for the country with the greatest sprinters outside of Jamaica? Conclude that the system is not meritocratic? Just wait it out? No, they went back to practice this morning to focus on their next event, the 200 meters, where they will have another chance to qualify for the Olympics. They are not wasting time guessing what will happen to the 100. They are applying for another great job.
Author: Helen Cheung
Helen Cheung is an Associate Director in Career Services for College of Arts & Sciences undergraduates.
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