It’s a fundamental truth of American track and field that new stars come along. In this country, track is a sport without a large-scale development system, except that which is generously supplied by high schools (where the sport thrives) and colleges (not as much, but fine). At the same time, there are many other pathways beckoning for talented athletes. Yet the sport here continually replenishes itself enough to put U.S. athletes at the top of the medal table every two years at the world championships and every four years at the Olympics. Track and field is riven with international doping scandals and domestic infighting and woefully inadequate at providing income for all but its very best performers, yet one generation of medalists always replaces the one that came before.
Retirement of Nick Symmonds and Ashton Eaton will leave a void in U.S. track and field
