Clement and Taylor Highlight Gator Performances on Day Six of U.S. Olympic Trials
Friday, June 29, 2012 | Track and Field
World Champions Kerron Clement (400-meter hurdles: 2007, 2009) and Christian Taylor (triple jump: 2011) won their respective preliminary rounds on the sixth day of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials at historic Hayward Field, highlighting action for the Gators after a two-day break from competition at TrackTown USA.
Clement breezed through his heat of the 400-meter hurdles, winning in a season-best time of 49.37, hitting the Olympic A standard and turning in the top time of four preliminary heats. Clement advances to Friday's semifinal round at 6:35 p.m. ET.
Taylor joined former Gator teammates Will Claye, the reigning IAAF World Indoor Champion, and current Florida junior and two-time NCAA Champion Omar Craddock (Killeen, Texas) on the runway, as the three battled to advance to the finals of the men's triple jump.
Taylor used his first jump of the day to advance to Saturday's finals, leaping an astonishing 17.27m/56-8 to automatically advance to the final round of competition by surpassing the Olympic A standard of 17.20m/56-5.25.
Claye's second jump of 16.80m/55-1.50 catapulted him from 11th to second, allowing him to pass on his final jump and advance to the finals. Craddock used his second jump of 16.45m/53-11.75 to finish eighth overall and advance to Saturday's final.
The triple jump trio will return to the runway at 7:40 p.m. ET on Saturday, June 30th for the chance to go to London. Both Claye and Taylor already own the Olympic A standard. Craddock will need to earn a podium finish and reach the A standard to claim a spot on the Team USA roster.
On Friday, Florida freshman Dedric Dukes (Miami, Fla.) will compete in the qualifying round of the men's 200 meters, starting off action for the Gators at 4:45 p.m. ET. Clement will compete in the semifinals of the men's 400-meter hurdles at 6:35 p.m. ET before sophomore All-American and two-time SEC Indoor Champion Eddie Lovett (West Palm Beach, Fla.) competes in the men's 110-meter hurdles at 7:05 p.m. ET.
In the lone final for the Gators on Friday, former Gator distance runner Mason Cathey will race in the finals of the women's 3,000-meter steeplechase at 7:45 p.m. ET after running a personal best 9:47.32 in the preliminary round on Monday evening. Cathey, Clement and Lovett's races will all be featured on the NBC Sports Network's broadcast, beginning at 6 p.m. ET on Friday.
The NBC Sports Group presents unprecedented coverage of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials as American athletes compete for a chance to take part in the London Games.
A total of 12 hours of live track and field coverage will be a part of a record 67.5 hours of total Olympic Team Trials coverage by NBC in 2012. Covered in prime time between NBC and the NBC Sports Network, the 12 hours of live coverage will span the course of eight days.
A full recap of each day's events and results will be available on GatorZone.com. For news, schedules, events and the Facebook and Twitter feeds of the 2012 Olympic Trials, please log on to http://www.gotracktownusa.com/.
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U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS – TRACK & FIELD (JUNE 21-JULY 1, 2012 – EUGENE, OR)
THURSDAY, JUNE 28, 2012
FIELD EVENTS
Men's Triple Jump – Qualifying
1. Christian Taylor, 17.27m/56-8 (+1.5)q
2. Will Claye, 16.80m/55-1.50 (+1.7)q
8. Omar Craddock, 16.45m/53-11.75 (+0.8)q
Men's Discus Throw – Final
8. Westley Stockbarger, 59.19m/194-3
RUNNING EVENTS
Women's 1,500 Meters – Qualifying
25. Cory McGee, 4:17.76
Men's 400-Meter Hurdles – Qualifying
1. Kerron Clement, 49.37Q
| NBC SPORTS GROUP LIVE TELEVISION COVERAGE | ||
| Date | Time | Network |
| Friday, June 29th | 6-8 p.m. ET | NBCSN |
| Saturday, June 30th | 9-10 p.m. ET/PT | NBC |
| Sunday, July 1st | 7-8 p.m. ET/PT | NBC |
| 2012 U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS TRACK & FIELD SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES ET) | ||||
| TIME | EVENT | ROUND | FORMER/CURRENT GATORS COMPETING | QUALIFYING STANDARD (ATHLETE 2012 MARK) |
| FRIDAY, JUNE 29 | ||||
| 4:45 p.m. | Men's 200 Meters | Qualifying | Dedric Dukes | A: 20.55; B: 20.65 (Dukes: 20.47) |
| 6:35 p.m. | Men's 400-Meter Hurdles | Semi-Finals | Kerron Clement | A: 49.50; B: 49.80 (Clement: 49.66) |
| 7:05 p.m. | Men's 110-Meter Hurdles | Qualifying | Eddie Lovett | A: 13.52; B: 13.60 (Lovett: 13.54) |
| 7:45 p.m. | Women's 3,000-Meter Steeplechase | Final | Mason Cathey | A: 9:43.00; B: 9:48.00 (Cathey: 9:47.32) |
| SATURDAY, JUNE 30 | ||||
| 7:20 p.m. | Men's 110-Meter Hurdles | Semi-Finals | Eddie Lovett | A: 13.52; B: 13.60 (Lovett: 13.54) |
| 7:40 p.m. | Men's Triple Jump | Final | Will Claye, Omar Craddock, Christian Taylor | A: 17.20m; B: 16.85m (Claye: 17.48m, Craddock: 16.71m, Taylor: 17.62m) |
| 9:00 p.m. | Men's 200 Meters | Semi-Finals | Dedric Dukes | A: 20.55; B: 20.65 (Dukes: 20.47) |
| 9:40 p.m. | Men's 110-Meter Hurdles | Final | Eddie Lovett | A: 13.52; B: 13.60 (Lovett: 13.54) |
| SUNDAY, JULY 1 | ||||
| 7:12 p.m. | Men's 400-Meter Hurdles | Final | Kerron Clement | A: 49.50; B: 49.80 (Clement: 49.66) |
| 7:50 p.m. | Men's 200 Meters | Final | Dedric Dukes | A: 20.55; B: 20.65 (Dukes: 20.47) |
| Blue Rows are Semi-Finals and are contingent upon advancing from Qualifying/First Round | ||||
| Gray Rows are Finals and are contingent upon advancing from Trials/Semi-Finals | ||||
