
Holloway Clinches Olympics Berth
Saturday, June 26, 2021 | Track and Field
EUGENE, Ore. – Reigning world champion and Gators Great Grant Holloway secured his spot on Team USA for the Tokyo Olympics Saturday inside Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Holloway set the tone early in the evening during the 110-meter hurdles semifinals with a time of 12.81 [+1.8] seconds—1/100th of a second away from tying the world record. That time, however, is the fastest in the world this year and a new U.S. Olympic Trials record.
The 2019 The Bowerman winner made it official in the finals with a time of 12.96 [+0.4] seconds, winning the event and punching his ticket to Tokyo. This is Holloway's first Olympic team.
Gators Great Avione Allgood-Whetstone finished third in the javelin with a mark of 58.94 meters (193 feet, 4 inches). Although Allgood-Whetstone placed among the top three finishers, she does not have the Olympic standard. Her qualification to the Olympics will be based on world rankings.
Freshman Claire Bryant closed an astounding freshman campaign with a 12th-place finish in the long jump. The 2021 SEC Women's Freshman Field Athlete of the Year logged a mark of 6.34 meters (20 feet, 9.75 inches).
A complete list of results from Saturday is below.
The trials will conclude Sunday with one Gator still looking to make the U.S. Olympic Team.
Gators Great and American long jump champion Marquis Dendy, who advanced to the long jump finals Friday with a leap of 8.09 meters (26 feet, 6.50 inches), will compete during the last day of the trials beginning at 6:45 p.m. ET.
The top three finishers in each event, so long as they have the Olympic qualifying standard, will automatically earn spots on Team USA for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
The games were slated to take place last year but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tokyo Games are scheduled to open on July 23.
2020 USATF OLYMPIC TRIALS MEET INFORMATION (all times Eastern)
Taylor Manson – 4x400 Relay
Cory McGee – 1,500 meters
Grant Holloway – 110-meter Hurdles
Will Claye – Triple Jump
Notes: Bold italics denotes current Gators
QUOTES FROM THE GATORS (Courtesy of USATF Communications)
Grant Holloway
On whether he thinks he can break the world record…
"We'll find out. I just think at this point it's definitely possible. A lot of people said I could never run 12.9 again."
On the event…
"Semis was actually what you saw. I got off the blocks and just kept going all the way through. I definitely felt that something big was going to happen after the prelim Friday… in the final, it's just a matter of executing it. I just go through and I keep pushing it."
On his emotions being 1/100th of a second away from the world record...
"No emotions at all. That's what happens when you execute at a very high level. The main goal was to set myself up and to let everybody know that I'm here to win… I didn't come to this party to sit on the wall, I came here to dance… I'm very happy with what's going on and also with what's to come."
On the impact Gators Track & Field and Cross Country Head Coach Mike Holloway has had in his career…
"Coach Holloway, from when he started recruiting me in 2015, he promised me that I was going to be an amazing man and also an amazing hurdler. As the years go on, he's stayed true to his word. I don't see myself leaving coach Holloway anytime soon… me and coach Holloway know what's at hand. Everyday I tell the man that I love him, I tell him that I appreciate everything he's done for me on and off the track. Like I said, me and him both have big plans."
On expectations in Tokyo...
"If I don't say I want to win a gold medal, I don't think I should be going to Tokyo."
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Holloway set the tone early in the evening during the 110-meter hurdles semifinals with a time of 12.81 [+1.8] seconds—1/100th of a second away from tying the world record. That time, however, is the fastest in the world this year and a new U.S. Olympic Trials record.
The 2019 The Bowerman winner made it official in the finals with a time of 12.96 [+0.4] seconds, winning the event and punching his ticket to Tokyo. This is Holloway's first Olympic team.
Gators Great Avione Allgood-Whetstone finished third in the javelin with a mark of 58.94 meters (193 feet, 4 inches). Although Allgood-Whetstone placed among the top three finishers, she does not have the Olympic standard. Her qualification to the Olympics will be based on world rankings.
Freshman Claire Bryant closed an astounding freshman campaign with a 12th-place finish in the long jump. The 2021 SEC Women's Freshman Field Athlete of the Year logged a mark of 6.34 meters (20 feet, 9.75 inches).
A complete list of results from Saturday is below.
The trials will conclude Sunday with one Gator still looking to make the U.S. Olympic Team.
Gators Great and American long jump champion Marquis Dendy, who advanced to the long jump finals Friday with a leap of 8.09 meters (26 feet, 6.50 inches), will compete during the last day of the trials beginning at 6:45 p.m. ET.
The top three finishers in each event, so long as they have the Olympic qualifying standard, will automatically earn spots on Team USA for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.
The games were slated to take place last year but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tokyo Games are scheduled to open on July 23.
2020 USATF OLYMPIC TRIALS MEET INFORMATION (all times Eastern)
- Live Results
- Venue: Hayward Field (Eugene, Ore.)
- Complete Meet Schedule
Taylor Manson – 4x400 Relay
Cory McGee – 1,500 meters
Grant Holloway – 110-meter Hurdles
Will Claye – Triple Jump
Television Broadcast Schedule | ||
Date | Network | Time |
Day 10 - Sunday, June 27 | NBC | 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. |
Day Nine – Saturday, June 26 (* indicates semifinals, all others are final) | |
Event | Gators – Time / Mark | Notes |
110mH (M) | 1. Grant Holloway – 12.96 [+0.4] | Team USA Olympian, first Olympic team |
110mH (M)* | 1. Grant Holloway – 12.81 [+1.8] | Advance to finals (automatic), fastest time in the world this year, all-time second-fastest time in the world, meet record, new personal record |
LJ (W) | 12. Claire Bryant – 6.34 meters (20 feet, 9.75 inches) |
JT (W) | 3. Avione Allgood-Whetstone – 58.94 meters (193 feet, 4 inches) | Olympic qualification pending world ranking rules. |
Day Ten – Sunday, June 27 | |
Time | Athlete – Event |
6:45 p.m. | Marquis Dendy – Men's Long Jump (Final) |
Day One – Friday, June 18 (All events are 1st Round) | |
Event | Gators – Time / Mark | Notes |
400m (W) | 11. Talitha Diggs – 51.74 | Advance to semifinals (automatic) |
16. Taylor Manson – 52.37 | Advance to semifinals (automatic) | |
400m (M) | 6. Ryan Willie – 45.34 | Advance to semifinals (automatic) |
1,500m (W) | 8. Cory McGee – 4:11.86 | Advance to semifinals (automatic) |
Day Two – Saturday, June 19 (# indicates 1st round, * indicates semifinals) | |
Event | Gators – Time / Mark | Notes |
100m (M)# | 30. Jeff Demps – 10.48 [2.0] |
400m (W)* | 7. Taylor Manson – 51.11 | Advance to finals (time) |
12. Talitha Diggs – 52.04 | |
400m (M)* | 9. Ryan Willie – 45.40 |
1,500m (W)* | 2. Cory McGee – 4:05.96 | Advance to finals (automatic) |
100mH (W)# | 12. Grace Stark – 12.85 [-0.3] | Advance to semifinals (automatic) |
TJ (M)* | 1. Will Claye – 16.85 meters (55 feet, 3.50 inches) [+0.7] | Advance to finals |
Day Three – Sunday, June 20 (# indicates 1st round, * indicates semifinals, all others are final) | |
Event | Gators – Time / Mark | Notes |
400m (W) | 7. Taylor Manson – 50.79 | New personal record, third fastest time in school history, Team USA Olympian in the 4x400 relay pool. |
100mH (W)* | 14. Grace Stark – 12.79 [+1.3] |
Day Four – Monday, June 21 (events are final) | |
Event | Gators – Time / Mark | Notes |
1500m (W) | 2. Cory McGee – 4:00.67 | Team USA Olympian, first Olympic team, new personal record |
TJ (M) | 1. Will Claye – 17.21 meters (56 feet, 5.75 inches) [+0.1] | Clinched third Team USA berth |
Day Seven – Thursday, June 24 (# indicates 1st round, * indicates semifinals) | |
Event | Gators – Time / Mark | Notes |
200m (W)# | 11. Kyra Jefferson – 22.57 |Advanced to semifinals (time), season best |
400mH (M)# | 10. TJ Holmes – 49.90 | Advanced (automatic), season best |
LJ (W)* | 12. Claire Bryant – 6.29 meters (20 feet, 7.75 inches) [+1.4] | Advanced to finals |
Day Eight – Friday, June 25 (# indicates 1st round, * indicates semifinals) | |
Event | Gators – Time / Mark | Notes |
200m (W)* | 12. Kyra Jefferson – 22.75 |
110mH (M)# | 1. Grant Holloway – 13.11 | Advanced to semifinals |
400mH (M)* | 16. TJ Holmes – 53.98 |
LJ (M)* | 3. Marquis Dendy – 8.09 meters (26 feet, 6.50 inches) | Advanced to finals |
24. Will Claye – 7.18 meters (23 feet, 6.75 inches) | |
JT (W)* | 4. Avione Allgood-Whetstone – 55.48 meters (182 feet) | Advanced to finals |
QUOTES FROM THE GATORS (Courtesy of USATF Communications)
Grant Holloway
On whether he thinks he can break the world record…
"We'll find out. I just think at this point it's definitely possible. A lot of people said I could never run 12.9 again."
On the event…
"Semis was actually what you saw. I got off the blocks and just kept going all the way through. I definitely felt that something big was going to happen after the prelim Friday… in the final, it's just a matter of executing it. I just go through and I keep pushing it."
On his emotions being 1/100th of a second away from the world record...
"No emotions at all. That's what happens when you execute at a very high level. The main goal was to set myself up and to let everybody know that I'm here to win… I didn't come to this party to sit on the wall, I came here to dance… I'm very happy with what's going on and also with what's to come."
On the impact Gators Track & Field and Cross Country Head Coach Mike Holloway has had in his career…
"Coach Holloway, from when he started recruiting me in 2015, he promised me that I was going to be an amazing man and also an amazing hurdler. As the years go on, he's stayed true to his word. I don't see myself leaving coach Holloway anytime soon… me and coach Holloway know what's at hand. Everyday I tell the man that I love him, I tell him that I appreciate everything he's done for me on and off the track. Like I said, me and him both have big plans."
On expectations in Tokyo...
"If I don't say I want to win a gold medal, I don't think I should be going to Tokyo."
FOLLOW THE GATORS
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: #GoGators; #PushTheButton; #TheMissionContinues; #WeBelieve; #LessSaid
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