Team USA’s Freddie Crittenden was delighted to come last in a 110m hurdles heat and was hailed by viewers on social media as a genius for exploiting a long-forgotten rule.
The 29-year-old Olympic debutant finished five seconds behind Sunday’s race winner, fellow American Grant Holloway, despite arriving in Paris as the world’s second-fastest 110m hurdler this year.
She later revealed that she had been “slightly injured” with a “strained muscle” in her leg while running and that she knew a below-par performance would end her chances of making it to the semi-finals, except for a controversial rule that provides second chances.
In steeplechase races, the top three finishers in a first-round race go through together with the next three fastest participants.
But those who fail also have the opportunity to redeem themselves by competing in the “play-off round,” which Crittenden intends to exploit.
Freddie Crittenden said he intended to finish last in the first round of the men’s 110m hurdles on Sunday.
The 29-year-old added that he was aware of the repechage rule as he took his time in the race.
He now expects a 48-hour recovery period to be healthy and able to compete on Tuesday.
After her performance on Sunday, Crittenden said of her decision to finish last: “So it was an intentional choice. It was either top three or everyone goes to the repechage. Every athlete has the opportunity to compete in the repechage.
‘So I decided not to make an emotional decision, but a smart decision. Give my body time to recover a little bit from the irritation. Trust my doctors. Trust God. And just wait for the play-in round.
‘Come out (here) and try to kill him in the repechage round.’
Fans were divided over the Missouri native’s plan to qualify, with one person calling it a “1000 IQ move” on X, while another wrote that Crittenden “should be disqualified for violating the spirit of the Games and not competing.”
Crittenden is now aiming to qualify for the men’s semi-final race in the repechage round on Tuesday.
The fan who disapproves of Crittenden’s tactics added: “The repechage is not designed to provide additional training or recovery time. Crittenden has taken the opportunity of having an alternative athlete to participate if he was not fit.”
One person said Crittenden’s slow work had him ‘shocked’.
“American hurdler Freddie Crittenden exposes a huge loophole in the new play-off round – or maybe that’s what he’s there for?” one distraught person said.
“Freddie Crittenden is the reason there shouldn’t be a playoff. Using his series as a warm-up. It’s ridiculous,” shared another disgruntled fan.
“A 200 IQ move,” NBC’s official Olympics and Paralympics X account wrote, seemingly praising Crittenden. “Freddie Crittenden runs through his series of obstacles knowing he will automatically qualify for the repechage round.”