“Should Be Ashamed”: Track & Field Community Breathes Fire at USATF as Quincy Wilson Makes Paris Olympics Team While Christian Miller Stands Out

“I dreamed about being an Olympian,” Quincy Wilson said once. The 16-year-old successfully made it to the relay pool, thus becoming the youngest American male sprinter to be part of the Olympic track team. However, Christian Miller had to pay the price for Wilson’s achievement. Despite finishing fifth in the 100m U.S. Olympic Trials with 9.98 seconds, why was the sprinter left out?

Well, because there is room for subjectivity. Take USA Swimming for instance. Qualifiers are determined based on the finishing order at the trials. However, when it comes to track and field, coaches are allowed to choose the athletes based on their ability to pass and receive the baton, ability to run the turn and/or straight leg, relay experience in the World Championships, World Relays, Pan Am Games and Olympics and several other criteria. It is called the discretionary criteria, and that’s how Miller got overlooked.

However, the sprinter is trying his best to stay positive. He took to Instagram and wrote, “Wish my season could have been extended to one last race but unfortunately USATF did not select me for the 2024 Paris Olympics 4×1 relay pool. Congrats to everyone who made it to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Gods plan…Cmilly Out.”

Interestingly, Quincy Wilson commented under Miller’s post with a red heart emoji, showing his support.

Christian Miller looked good entering the US Olympic trials. Soon, the teenage rocket from Florida topped the expectations with his third-place finish in the semifinal. But in the stacked 100m final, he failed to make a similar mark as Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek, Fred Kerley, and Christian Coleman crossed the finishing line before him. Still, Christian Miller overpowered names like Courtney Lindsey and Kendal Williams in that event.

No doubt, Miller’s coach, Ricky Fields, was extremely unhappy with the relay pool decision. He took to X and wrote, “Very disappointed in USATF @usatf by leaving Christian Miller off the 4×100 relay pool stating he didn’t have experience running 4×100 with pros and didn’t run in World relays which is limited to pros.”

Similarly, fans were disappointed to see the 18-year-old get overlooked and were not in agreement with USATF’s decision. What did fans say?

Fans fail to understand the math; Counting six before five?

In the comment box of Christian Miller’s IG post, fans gathered to vent their unhappiness, resulting from his failure to make it through the relay pool. Moreover, Quincy Wilson’s prompt success with a similar objective made the situation complicated. The failure to understand the criteria soon reflected in a fan’s comment, “how they gonna take someone who got 6th but not someone who got 5th??”

Another fan penned, “This is a tragedy!!! USATF should be ashamed of this. I am happy for all that made it but the excuses given to me as the reason why you didn’t is embarrassing.”

Here’s how Miller performed in the 100m trials:

The query was rampant among the fans as another one penned, “So quincy gets 6th, u get 5th but he makes a relay pool before you?” Arguments like this could only invite flak over USATF’s discretionary rules that finalize the relay team nominees. Another fan questioned, “Can someone please tell me how a fifth place does not get selected for relays over a sixth place finisher? For a sport that basically has no subjectivity in judging, (Which is a great thing) this seems odd.”

It seems like many fans forgot that the judging does include subjectivity along with finish timings. Let us look at the six aspects that allow subjectivity:

• An athlete’s ability to pass and receive the baton.
• Their ability to run the turn and/or straight leg.
• An athlete’s availability as well as a willingness to attend camp/practice sessions.
• Their times run in the relay distances.
• Previous relay experience in the World Championships, World Relays, Pan Am Games, and Olympics.
• An athlete’s onsite fitness

Another fan had a positive approach and wrote, “Hey God still allowed you to make it to the Olympic trials that is a huge accomplished not many people are able to even make it that far but you did amazing just know that it was not in vain.”

And this fan isn’t wrong. Miller looks like a good candidate for Team USA at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Let us not forget that by then Lyles would be 30, Bednarek would be 29, Kerley 33, and Coleman 32. So Miller might have to wait just a bit longer.

Do you think Quincy Wilson was unfairly chosen over Miller? Let us know in the comments below.