Valley Olympian Among 8 Snubbed by UK Athletics for Paris Over Doubts of ‘Inspiring the Nation’

David King appeared to qualify to run the 110-meter hurdles in Paris, but will not race as UK Athletics believes he won’t be able to inspire Great Britain.

British hurdler David King, despite meeting the World Athletics criteria, will not compete in the Paris Olympics. UK Athletics determined he lacks the capability to “inspire the nation.” This decision has raised eyebrows and stirred controversy.

King has been training in Phoenix with the Phoenix Track Club, a facility known for producing elite athletes like Devon Allen and Freddie Crittenden. UK Athletics’ decision to leave King off the Paris roster was a blow, especially after the years of rigorous preparation he put into this goal.

“I saw this coming from a long way off,” King stated, lamenting over the stringent criteria set by UK Athletics. The governing body insisted that only athletes meeting a specific ‘Entry Standard’ time or possessing legitimate chances of making it to the finals would be sent to Paris. This move stems from UK Athletics’ reliance on national lottery funding, which inherently demands a ‘World Class Performance’ to justify public expenditure.

King barely missed the stringent qualifications set internally by UK Athletics. His best time this year was 13.45 seconds, only marginally slower than the required 13.31 seconds. He remains 49th in the World Rankings, outperforming six of the hurdlers who will compete in Paris.

Phil Norman, another British athlete, suffered a similar fate. His performance in the 3,000-meter steeplechase almost set a national record but fell short of the Olympic qualifications. Frustrated athletes have rallied; a Change.org petition initiated by Norman has garnered nearly 10,000 signatures, urging a policy revaluation.

King argues that such draconian measures could have detrimental effects on future generations of British athletes. “You need a variety of people on the team to inspire more people,” King said, stressing that limiting Olympic slots sends a demoralizing message to budding athletes.

As for the community impact, King mentions how his participation in the Tokyo Olympics instilled pride and joy in his hometown of Plymouth. “They have young kids. They’re seeing someone from their street go to the Olympics,” King said, emphasizing the broader inspirational role athletes play irrespective of winning medals.

King remains skeptical about the financial justification offered by UK Athletics. “If you told the nation that there are 10 athletes who we can’t afford to take and set up a GoFundMe, or whatever it is, the money will come in,” he asserted.

Despite his exclusion, King plans to support his training mate Freddie Crittenden, who will represent Team USA in the 110-meter hurdles. “Freddie is the one who I’m rooting for,” King said.

Crittenden qualified for his first Olympics at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team Trials and will compete in the 110-meter hurdles, starting on Aug. 4. The semifinals will occur on Aug. 7, culminating in the final on Aug. 8.

Phoenix remains a hub for sports, housing major teams like the Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, and Arizona Diamondbacks. The city also hosts significant events such as the Fiesta Bowl and the WM Phoenix Open.