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Track and field fans have shared their reactions after middle-distance runner Shelby Houlihan made the USA team for the World Athletics Championships 2025 in Tokyo. This comes after her impressive show at the USA Track and Field Championships, where she clocked a time of 15:13.61 to comfortably win the 5000m event ahead of Elise Cranny (15:14.26) and Josette Andrews (15:15.01).
This is her first competitive year after she was banned for four years after testing positive for a banned substance known as nandrolone in 2020. However, Shelby Houlihan claimed that the test came back positive because she had consumed a pork burrito from a Mexican food truck, arguing the meat might have been contaminated.
After her first US Nationals post the incident, fans have expressed mixed reactions to her comeback and victory. One of the track and field fans wrote:
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“Once a doper always doper total disgrace”
Another X user expressed their frustration as Shelby Houlihan is set to represent the USA at the Worlds, adding:
“Feel terrible for whomever placed 4th. @usatf is going to allow a CHEATER to represent our country in Tokyo while a clean, deserving athlete is going to sit at home because they don’t eat “pork” burritos. Such bs. @shelbo800”
While another fan was happy for Shelby Houlihan’s achievement, they wrote:
“Justice for Shelby. I’m so happy to see her back.”
Here are some other reactions to the 32-year-old’s Worlds qualification:
“Failing a drug test should result in a lifetime ban,” a fan chimed in.
"Something had to ruin all the great results this weekend," another fan shared how they saw her victory as a negative mark on an otherwise successful athletics weekend.
“Shelbooo 🔥”, a fan showed their support to the 2025 World Indoors silver medalist in the 3000m.
Notably, the World Athletics Championships are set to take place in Tokyo, Japan, from September 13 to 21.
Shelby Houlihan opens up on what she feels about her suspension after winning USA Championships
Shelby Houlihan expressed that she feels a sense of loss and frustration over not being able to show her full potential due to the suspension, as she missed out on competing at both the Tokyo Olympics and the Paris Olympics.
In a post-race interview after winning the 5000m at the USA Championships, she spoke about the emotional aftermath of missing important tournaments, saying (3:43 onwards):
“Yeah, like I don't, I guess I feel like I've kind of moved forward from it. So it's not necessarily on my mind all the time at this point, but it's still hard. I still definitely feel angry and there are times where I'm like, I should have had the opportunity to see what I was capable of over the last four years. And that absolutely sucks that I didn't get that opportunity. But yeah, really just trying to there's not anything I can do at this point about that."
She further shared that although she has moved forward, the anger still lingers. She added that she is now focusing on winning a medal at the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, scheduled for September this year, where she plans to bring her full energy and make the most of the opportunity.
