Instead, others will be taking the spots that seemed all but reserved for two American track champions, Jenny Simpson and Donavan Brazier.
The cold realities of the U.S. Olympic qualifying reared their ugly head on a scorcher of a day at track and field trials Monday. In a format where records and resumes mean nothing, and only the top three finishers in each event earn a spot, Simpson and Brazier fell short.
“There are things that champions overcome. I couldn’t overcome them," said Brazier, the world champion at 800 meters, after finishing last in that race, more than 4 seconds behind winner Clayton Murphy.