Arts: The Runner?s Dilemma

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Brow Beat The Runner's Dilemma By Daniel Lametti Posted Tuesday, Jun 26, 2012, at 01:05 PM ET An unusual thing happened Saturday evening at the Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon. During the women's 100-meter race, sprinters Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh tied for third. The finish was so close that images taken with a high-speed camera couldn't tell who was faster. And it was imperative that there not be a tie: The third-place finisher was to take the last spot to run the event for the U.S. team at this summer's London Olympics. A tie is such a rare occurrence in the sport that USA Track and Field, the sport's governing body, had no rule established to decide a winner. So they invented one. There will be either a coin flip or a runoff (that is, another race, between just those two runners), and the two athletes get to decide which. If they disagree, then there will be a runoff. If both athletes decline to choose either option, there will be a coin toss. And it must be decided by Sunday, when the Olympic trials end. What's a runner to do? Bobby Kersee, who coaches both Felix and Tarmoh, is in favor of a runoff. "Would you go to the Super Bowl and after two overtimes or what have you, have the referees take both coaches to the middle of the field and say, We're going to flip to see who wins the Super Bowl?" he said to the Associated Press. "I don't see that." He's right. A ... To continue reading, click here. Join the Fray: our reader discussion forum What did you think of this article? POST A MESSAGE | READ MESSAGES Also In Slate The Obscure Texas Legal Battle That Could Determine the Fate of America's Unions Whiz-Bang Technology in the Classroom Is Making It Harder To Teach Math, Not Easier In the Future, We Will All Eat Bugs	Advertisement
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