Steven Solomon to run individual 400m at the 2012 Olympics
Already competing in the 4 x 400m relay in London , Sydney athlete Steven Solomon will face the starter’s pistol in the individual 400m at the 2012 Olympics following a racially tainted outburst by athlete John Steffensen whose current time for the event lags Solomons.
A very proud Michael Solomon and son Steven snapped shortly after Steven won the Bronze in Barcelona
Currently in Barcelona where he picked up a bronze medal in the 400m at the World Junior Championships in a personal best time, 19-yr-old Solomon is a member of the Australian 4 x 400m relay team yet to complete the event.
From Barcelona a very proud father, Dr Michael Solomon, reports:
“Well the last 36 hrs have been quite ‘active’.
Steve has been given the single individual spot that Athletics Australia could use in the Olympic 400m individual race. Needless to say he is over the moon with this selection news but is doing his best to focus on today’s 4×400 relay heat at the world juniors.
To put things in perspective with regards AA selection, you are able to select 2 A qualifiers or 1 B if there are no A’s. It is up to the discretion of the local selectors if they choose a B or not.
The current times are as follows. John Steffensen won the Sydney track classic in 45.61s and won the Melbourne track classic/ Olympic trial in 45.74s. Both these times are B qualifier times. Stef has only run these 2 B times this year. He injured his hamstring in April and since then has run a 46.47s and a 46-45s.
Steve has run 5 B qualifiers in the last 3 months and won bronze 2 days ago in 45-52s. In addition he was the key runner getting Australia into the relays at the Olympics when he ran a sub 45 opening leg in Korea seven weeks ago. He has beaten Stef’s time now on two occasions. Stef has had no role in any of the 4 x 400 races to qualify for the Olympic relay.
AA also have a ‘ Rio clause’ which allows the selectors to choose a B qualifier if they feel that athlete has a real finals chance in the next Olympics.
So when one looks at the facts there is no doubt that Steve is the in form runner in Australia. The selectors seem to think so as well. He is ever so grateful for the opportunity to run for Australia at the Olympic games in front of 80000 spectators and off course his proud parents, sister Bianca and all his supportive extended family and friends.”
Meanwhile in Barcelona at the World Junior CHampionships…Jarryd Buchan (Vic), Jay Meaney (Qld), Max Waldron (Tas) and Steve Solomon (NSW) guided the boy’s 4x400m relay team into the battle for medals.
Individual 400m semi-finalist Buchan led out the Australian Spark boy’s 4x400m relay from lane seven. Bounding down the back straight, the Under 19 Talent Squad athlete Buchan came into the home straight second and handed the baton to Meaney, who ran a strong leg into Waldron. Waldron then passes to world junior championships bronze medallist Solomon who on the run home came into second to see the team cross in a season best 3:07.49.
Buchan said: “The outside lane is becoming my PB lane, I haven’t caught a break for a middle lane in so long but I am getting used to it and beginning to like running on the outside.
Meaney added: “That was amazing, I haven’t run out here yet and am so happy to have made the final. We are going to need to improve before then but as a squad we can do this.”
Didn’t know the amount of B qualifiers actually mattered. If Steve actually hit an A qualifier once it would have mattered more than the 5 b qualifiers that it is stated he has done. Also, using Steve’s form at the World Junior Championships to justify his selection smacks of bias as the selection deadline was the 8th of July, WJC finished a couple of days ago. From my count, correct me if I’m wrong, John raced Steve three times this summer beating Steve in the Melbourne, Sydney and Perth track classic. The Rio clause is ridiculously subjective and it would be meaningful to make a London clause as 4 years is a long time and whose to say the older athletes won’t be around to compete still, Solomon may be injured come next olympics and receive the same fate as Steffensen, I believe on this Fabrice Lapierre should be named as he is actually finishing in top 2 at Diamond League events, anyone who knows long jump knows that the A qualifier is quite hard to reach, only 5 of 12 actually got it in last years world championships final. In Beijing the A qualifier would have placed 3rd in the long jump.