- Updated
- Sport
- Athletics
- Paris 2024
Athletics Australia defends marathon selection after ‘heartbroken’ family hits out online
By Carla Jaeger
An Olympic marathon runner has accused Athletics Australia of breaking its selection criteria after she was denied nomination for the Paris 2024 Olympic women’s marathon team.
Lisa Weightman’s bid to overturn the decision delayed the announcement of the three-person team, which was postponed last Friday, and then spilled on to social media.
Lisa Weightman failed in her appeal to claim a spot on Australia’s Olympic marathon team for Paris 2024.Credit: Getty Images
The tension escalated on Tuesday when Weightman’s husband posted a message from their “heartbroken family” to one of the successful nominees on social media platform X.
The 44-year-old Weightman, a four-time Olympian who clocked the third-fastest time out of the six women who have qualified for team selection, had her appeal upheld by the National Sports Tribunal, but the sport did not overturn their decision.
“Lisa is disappointed with Athletics [Australia] moving away from their selection principle,” Weightman’s manager, Robert Joske, said on Wednesday.
The runners were informed that Sinead Diver, Genevieve Gregson and Jessica Stenson (née Trengrove) had been chosen for the Olympic team over Weightman, Eloise Wellings and Izzi Batt-Doyle.
Jessica Stenson celebrates victory in the women’s marathon at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.Credit: AP
Diver and Gregson clocked the fastest times during the qualification period, which ended on April 30, posting times of two hours, 21 minutes and 34 seconds and 2:23:08, respectively.
Stenson posted the fifth-fastest time at 2:24.01, behind Weightman’s 2:23.15 and Batt-Doyle’s 2:23.27.
Athletes can appeal their non-nomination within a 48-hour window.
Weightman could appeal once more, to the Court of Arbitration of Sport, but Joske confirmed that she is unlikely to do so due to the associated costs.
A senior athletics source with detailed knowledge of the selection process, who declined to be named as the matter is ongoing, said the selection panel had considered other factors beyond times run in its decision, including improvement over time.
They pointed to Stenson’s gold medal victory at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and hitting her personal best in South Korea’s Daegu marathon – a notoriously hilly course – six months after she had a baby as factors for her selection ahead of Weightman.
An Australian Olympic Committee spokesperson said the nomination process was a matter for Athletics Australia.
“While yet to select the marathon athletes to compete in Paris, the AOC is satisfied that Athletics Australia has correctly followed its Paris 2024 nomination criteria as well as the AOC’s Olympic team selection bylaw.
“The AOC Olympic team selection bylaw sets out the avenues for athletes to appeal against their non-nomination.”
The drama hit social media on Tuesday, with Weightman’s husband, Lachlan McArthur, demanding that Stenson remove her cover photo on X, which pictured two runners together with their children.
He publicly messaged Stenson on social media platform X, writing: “@JessTrengove could you please take down your background photo of my family. BTW, this was after one of the 7-1 all-time head to head wins by @LisaWeightman.”
Stenson changed the photo shortly after McArthur’s post. McArthur deleted his X account soon after responding with this message: “Thank you @JessTrengove for taking down the photo. It is much appreciated. We have a heartbroken family here.”
Weightman has seemingly responded to the stoush on her Instagram profile, posting an image under a highlight titled “OLY 2024” which read: “Surround yourself with people who fight for you in the room you aren’t in.”
Stenson declined to comment.
On Thursday, AA president Jane Flemming backed the selectors’ decision to choose Diver, Gregson and Stenson, while acknowledging it was “distressing” for those like Weightman who were overlooked.
“As an Olympian, I have seen decades of Olympic teams selected and it is not unusual for there to be debate over decisions of a selection panel such as Athletics Australia’s independent and expert body of selectors, and an appeals process exists for this reason,” Flemming said in a statement.
“We understand this can be distressing for athletes who miss selection and these matters are often highly charged.
“However the independent body of selectors is made up of industry experts, who understand Athletics Australia’s nomination policy and the nuances of the sport.”
Weightman has finished in the top 35 at the past four Olympic marathons, with a best of 16th at London in 2012.
“I am of course disappointed by the decision given that I fought hard and fair to gain my qualification time - the third fastest of all Australian women during the qualification period,” Weightman said in a statement.
“However, what I am most disappointed about is AA’s own internal systems and procedures that have allowed this outcome and which, unless corrected, will negatively impact future Australian athletes and their legitimate claims to represent Australia.”
Weightman was bidding to become the first Australian track and field athlete to compete at five Olympics.
With AAP
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.