Track is one of the few sports that allows for absolutely no mistakes on the elite level. One misstep or dropped baton can cost you medals and records and that is unlike any other sport. At the 2018 VA Showcase there were some performances that, looking back now, could have been monstrous and shocked a lot of people.
The first of these performances was the Hydel girls in the 4x200m relay. Watch above to see exactly what are talking about. Despite running a very strong 1:38.38 (would rank US #3), they barely even touched what they really could have run.
Between the first and second leg is when all the craziness happened. Not only did the receiving runner run into the rail but they also literally did a 360 before receiving the baton. That move cost them at least two solid seconds in a race decided by fractions of a second.
Though we do not know if they could have beat Bullis, we do know that they could have and should have run closer to 1:36.38 had they not had that happen. The splits were there but unfortunately the execution was not.
The next monstrous performance that could have been happened in the exact same spot just moments later. That was with Potomac Senior running their fully loaded squad in the 4x200 also out in lane six. This team was simply rolling and arguably had some of the best anchors bringing their team home. Unfortunately they too ran into the bar in this race. We estimated them running a low 1:28 or faster on that day.
Though we won't get to see St. Jago or Hydel at Nationals we will get to see Potomac and that will be very exciting.