The Trials Qualifying Window Remains Open Until Sunday, But The USATF's Registration Deadline Has Already Closed And Could Leave Mwaura And Other NCAA Athletes Out

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Ten men ran under the U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying time in the NCAA 10,000 meters final Wednesday night at Hayward Field, including a handful of Americans. 

The qualifying window is open until Sunday, June 13. 

But the registration window closed on Tuesday, June 8. 

That left Gonzaga's James Mwaura and his coaches frustrated the morning after he ran a lifetime-best 27:50.44 to get ninth place. 

USATF replied to Gonzaga coach Pat Tyson's entry request with a rejection notice. 

"They rationalize closing (registration) by saying the date was set to allow for several high-level events to be included," Tyson said. "But they ignore the fact the NCAA's highest-level events would occur in the period between the qualifying deadline and the registration deadline. And as a result (deny) a number of college students-athletes the opportunity of their lifetime, the chance to compete for a spot in the Olympics and to do so while representing their university."

Coaches have circumvented the convoluted process by entering athletes prior to the entry deadline and then updating their performances. 

But in Mwaura's case, how was anyone to know he would achieve the 28:00 standard?

First, the NCAA final record, since 1979, was 28:01.30. 

Second, Mwaura's career best of 28:27.49, was well short of the standard. 

Colorado State, for instance, did enter Eric Hamer prior to the deadline with his time of 28:08.95 from April 2. Thursday morning his coach updated the time to 27:44.87, and his entry is accepted. 

Mwaura ran a 37-second PR on Wednesday night. 

"Damn. I should have done that but had no clue he'd get a 37-second PR!" Tyson said. 

The rules may trip up more athletes as the week rolls on. 

Wednesday's winner, Patrick Devers of Tulsa, is British, so the Trials standard was meaningless to him. 

BYU's Conner Mantz, who was second, NAU's Abdihamid Nur, who was third, and Georgetown's Robert Brandt, who was fourth, already had achieved the standard. 

"It seems odd to me that the registration ended before the qualifying window closed," Georgetown distance coach Brandon Bonsey said. "I'm sure USATF has a reason for it, but it doesn't make a ton of sense to me."

Georgetown steeplechaser Parker Stokes missed the Trials qualifier by .03 seconds in Wednesday's semifinal, but Bonsey hopes his athlete can get it in the final Friday. 

Bonsey entered Stokes ahead of time just in case. 

Tyson said he planned to submit an appeal on behalf of Mwaura. 

Stanford freshman Charles Hicks also ran a big lifetime best, 27:47.63, for seventh place and a Trials qualifying time. Hicks runs internationally for Great Britain.