America's Best Hope For a Mid-D or Distance Gold, Ajee Wilson, Withdraws from 2015 IAAF World Championships
21-year-old American mid-d sensation Ajee Wilson has been forced to withdraw from the upcoming 2015 IAAF Beijing World Championships with an injury. Earlier today, her agent Ray Flynn sent out a tweet declaring Wilson was out.
Unfortunately had to notify @usatf that @AjeeW will not be able to represent Team USA at @iaaf Beijing #injury she even had during US Champs
— RayPFlynn (@RayPFlynn) August 10, 2015
Wilson's withdrawal definitely is a big blow for the US team's chances of securing a track and field gold medal in a mid-d or distance event in Beijing as she was America's best hope for gold above 400 meters. Last year, Wilson was the world's fastest woman (1:57.67) and ended up ranked #2 in the LetsRun.com World Rankings at 800. This year, Wilson sits at #3 on the world list (1:57.87).
Wilson earlier this year in NYC
Flynn's tweet helps answer a few questions we had about Wilson. The fact that we now know Wilson was bothered by an injury before USAs helps explain why Wilson had her worst race of the season at USAs, where she barely held on to the third and final Worlds spot after running the final 200 meters with one shoe. Coming into USAs, Wilson had won every single race she'd run save for a runner-up finish at Prefontaine where she was beat by gold-medal favorite Eunice Sum. The injury also explains why Wilson hadn't raced since the US final on June 28. In 2013 between USAs and Worlds, where Wilson was an impressive sixth at just age 19, Wilson raced three times in Europe.
With Wilson out, men's steeplechaser Evan Jager, who has the 2nd-fastest time in the World this year, becomes America's best hope for a gold medal (related MB thread: With Ajee Wilson out, rank America's best gold medal hopefuls in order from 1-10).
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Ajee Wilson OUT of Worlds 800 – Molly Ludlow to replace
With Ajee Wilson out, rank America's best gold medal hopefuls in order from 1-10
Wilson's indoor season ended with a different type of disappointment – a fall at USAs. *2015 USA Coverage
Ajee Wilson
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