Photo by: Nate Barrett
Ducks Advance In Rousing Fashion
07/08/16 | Track and Field, @GoDucksMoseley
EUGENE, Ore. — The best way to ensure a nice, comfortable middle lane for the 200-meter semifinals Saturday was to run at the front of the pack in the first-round heats Friday.
Nobody embraced that message better than the three women from Oregon running the 200 in the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field on Friday.
Reigning national champion Jenna Prandini and current UO teammates Deajah Stevens and Ariana Washington all won heats in the first round, setting them up well for Saturday's semifinals. Prandini was the top qualifier out of all six heats in 22.72 seconds, Stevens ran 22.91 and Washington crossed in 22.95.
"I felt good," said Prandini, who turned professional following her junior season at Oregon in the summer of 2015. "Just wanted to get out here, get a race under my belt and get qualified."
Like Prandini, Stevens didn't take any chances. Though she was slow out of the blocks, Stevens raced to the front of her heat coming off the Bowerman Curve and pushed through to remain in first at the line.
Stevens returned to the track Friday after racing in the 100-meter semifinals Sunday.
"The 100 helped me get the jitters out," Stevens said. "Get some speed, get into the rhythm of going fast. It was good."
Washington had to work a little harder Friday to win her heat. She relaxed off the Bowerman Curve, she said, and had to work hard the last 30 or 40 meters to get to the front and finish first.
"Didn't really plan on it, but you have to do what you have to do," Washington said. "I felt good about it."
The sweep by the 200 runners of their heats followed the men's 110 hurdles, in which UO two-sport star Devon Allen made his 2016 Trials debut and also finished first in his heat. Allen crossed in 13.44 seconds, despite a headwind of nearly 2 meters per second.
Allen said the headwind was preferable to a tailwind, which can push a runner into the hurdles. Instead, Allen ran one of his cleaner races of the season Friday, a sign of the technical work he's put in over the last several weeks.
"I've been working on that mostly," said Allen, the 2014 U.S. champion. "I know the speed will come toward the end of the season. The speed's starting to come now, and I feel good."
While he wants to continue to refine his technique, "I need to stay aggressive," Allen said, adding that. "Being aggressive is something I do well."
Friday was the end of the line for the two current UO runners who advanced through Thursday's first round in the 1,500 meters. With the top five finishers in each heat plus the next two fastest times making the final, Sam Prakel was sixth in 3:48.55 in his heat — the slower of the two — and just missed reaching Sunday's final. Matthew Maton took 10th in the second heat, in 3:46.91.
"Upset about (not advancing), but thinking about this whole experience, it's been special," Prakel said. "I'm happy with my season. … You can't really complain about sixth in a semifinal at the Olympic Trials."
Maton expressed a similar sentiment.
"It was my goal, making the Trials this four years," Maton said. "Next four years will be to do something in the Trials. I was just going to make it as far as I could. Of course maybe I could have (advanced) if I had a better day; I think I had an OK day. I'm learning."
Maton raced in a heat with four UO alumni, including defending U.S. champion Matthew Centrowitz, who was second in 3:44.29. Andrew Wheating took sixth in 3:44.73 to qualify on time, as did both Jordan McNamara (3:45.01) and Johnny Gregorek (3:45.59). McNamara initially was disqualified, moving Gregorek into the 12-man final, but McNamara was later reinstated into what will be a 13-man final Sunday.
The six Ducks in the 1,500-meter final matches the total from last year's U.S. championships.
Wheating, a two-time Olympian but never a U.S. champion, has said winning a U.S. title Sunday would be more important to him than making the Olympic team, which would require a significant season-best of 3:36.
"I went to the well the last 20 meters (Friday) to guarantee a spot, but those are the lessons you learn," Wheating said. "… It's going to be that times 100 on Sunday, so I just can't wait so long to get the job done."
In other action Friday, alum Justin Frick survived qualifying in the high jump to reach Sunday's final. Oregon's two women's hurdlers, Alaysha Johnson and Sasha Wallace, did not advance past the semifinals, and pole vaulting alums Becky Holliday and Melissa Gergel also did not make their final.
Recruit Hunter Opts to Go Pro
UO recruit Drew Hunter, the national high school record holder in the indoor mile and 3,000 meters, announced Friday that he will turn professional rather than run collegiately.
"Obviously that's a disappointment," UO distance coach Andy Powell said. "That's a hard thing. But at the same time, I'm happy for him. … Luckily we have a great team. We'll need some people to step up, like we always do."
What To Watch On Saturday
In the men's 5,000 meters, Galen Rupp makes a bid to qualify for the Olympic Games in his third event. Already qualified in the marathon and having won the 10,000 meters on the opening day of the Trials, Rupp advanced through Monday's qualify in the 5,000 as well. He's joined in the field by another UO alum, Eric Jenkins, who stepped off the track with a little over a mile left in the 10k and gets another shot at an Olympic bid Saturday.
Allen's quest to become an Olympian while still in college will be determined Saturday, when the semifinals and final will be contested. Allen's 13.44 on Friday was third-fastest in the field, but he was also able to ease up over the last 15 meters due to his sizable lead, and he was running into the strongest headwind.
Prandini, Washington and Stevens have a more moderate schedule, with only the semifinals being contested Saturday. Prandini is primed to make her first Olympic team, and Washington and Stevens are riding an incredible wave after going 1-2 in the NCAA Outdoor championships last month, then running well Friday.
Saturday's Schedule (Oregon Entrants)
12:30 p.m.: Heptathlon, 100 hurdles
1:30 p.m.: Heptathlon, high jump
3:30 p.m.: Heptathlon, shot put
4 p.m.: Women's javelin, final
4:15 p.m.: Men's triple jump, final
4:25 p.m.: Men's 110 hurdles, semifinals (Devon Allen)
4:40 p.m.: Heptathlon, 200 meters
5:03 p.m.: Women's 200 meters, semifinals (Jenna Prandini, Ariana Washington, Deajah Stevens)
5:20 p.m.: Men's 5,000 meters, final (Galen Rupp, Eric Jenkins)
5:42 p.m.: Men's 200, final
5:52 p.m.: Men's 110 hurdles, final (Devon Allen)
Nobody embraced that message better than the three women from Oregon running the 200 in the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field on Friday.
Reigning national champion Jenna Prandini and current UO teammates Deajah Stevens and Ariana Washington all won heats in the first round, setting them up well for Saturday's semifinals. Prandini was the top qualifier out of all six heats in 22.72 seconds, Stevens ran 22.91 and Washington crossed in 22.95.
"I felt good," said Prandini, who turned professional following her junior season at Oregon in the summer of 2015. "Just wanted to get out here, get a race under my belt and get qualified."
Like Prandini, Stevens didn't take any chances. Though she was slow out of the blocks, Stevens raced to the front of her heat coming off the Bowerman Curve and pushed through to remain in first at the line.
Stevens returned to the track Friday after racing in the 100-meter semifinals Sunday.
"The 100 helped me get the jitters out," Stevens said. "Get some speed, get into the rhythm of going fast. It was good."
Washington had to work a little harder Friday to win her heat. She relaxed off the Bowerman Curve, she said, and had to work hard the last 30 or 40 meters to get to the front and finish first.
"Didn't really plan on it, but you have to do what you have to do," Washington said. "I felt good about it."
The sweep by the 200 runners of their heats followed the men's 110 hurdles, in which UO two-sport star Devon Allen made his 2016 Trials debut and also finished first in his heat. Allen crossed in 13.44 seconds, despite a headwind of nearly 2 meters per second.
Allen said the headwind was preferable to a tailwind, which can push a runner into the hurdles. Instead, Allen ran one of his cleaner races of the season Friday, a sign of the technical work he's put in over the last several weeks.
"I've been working on that mostly," said Allen, the 2014 U.S. champion. "I know the speed will come toward the end of the season. The speed's starting to come now, and I feel good."
While he wants to continue to refine his technique, "I need to stay aggressive," Allen said, adding that. "Being aggressive is something I do well."
Friday was the end of the line for the two current UO runners who advanced through Thursday's first round in the 1,500 meters. With the top five finishers in each heat plus the next two fastest times making the final, Sam Prakel was sixth in 3:48.55 in his heat — the slower of the two — and just missed reaching Sunday's final. Matthew Maton took 10th in the second heat, in 3:46.91.
"Upset about (not advancing), but thinking about this whole experience, it's been special," Prakel said. "I'm happy with my season. … You can't really complain about sixth in a semifinal at the Olympic Trials."
Maton expressed a similar sentiment.
"It was my goal, making the Trials this four years," Maton said. "Next four years will be to do something in the Trials. I was just going to make it as far as I could. Of course maybe I could have (advanced) if I had a better day; I think I had an OK day. I'm learning."
Maton raced in a heat with four UO alumni, including defending U.S. champion Matthew Centrowitz, who was second in 3:44.29. Andrew Wheating took sixth in 3:44.73 to qualify on time, as did both Jordan McNamara (3:45.01) and Johnny Gregorek (3:45.59). McNamara initially was disqualified, moving Gregorek into the 12-man final, but McNamara was later reinstated into what will be a 13-man final Sunday.
The six Ducks in the 1,500-meter final matches the total from last year's U.S. championships.
Wheating, a two-time Olympian but never a U.S. champion, has said winning a U.S. title Sunday would be more important to him than making the Olympic team, which would require a significant season-best of 3:36.
"I went to the well the last 20 meters (Friday) to guarantee a spot, but those are the lessons you learn," Wheating said. "… It's going to be that times 100 on Sunday, so I just can't wait so long to get the job done."
In other action Friday, alum Justin Frick survived qualifying in the high jump to reach Sunday's final. Oregon's two women's hurdlers, Alaysha Johnson and Sasha Wallace, did not advance past the semifinals, and pole vaulting alums Becky Holliday and Melissa Gergel also did not make their final.
Recruit Hunter Opts to Go Pro
UO recruit Drew Hunter, the national high school record holder in the indoor mile and 3,000 meters, announced Friday that he will turn professional rather than run collegiately.
"Obviously that's a disappointment," UO distance coach Andy Powell said. "That's a hard thing. But at the same time, I'm happy for him. … Luckily we have a great team. We'll need some people to step up, like we always do."
What To Watch On Saturday
In the men's 5,000 meters, Galen Rupp makes a bid to qualify for the Olympic Games in his third event. Already qualified in the marathon and having won the 10,000 meters on the opening day of the Trials, Rupp advanced through Monday's qualify in the 5,000 as well. He's joined in the field by another UO alum, Eric Jenkins, who stepped off the track with a little over a mile left in the 10k and gets another shot at an Olympic bid Saturday.
Allen's quest to become an Olympian while still in college will be determined Saturday, when the semifinals and final will be contested. Allen's 13.44 on Friday was third-fastest in the field, but he was also able to ease up over the last 15 meters due to his sizable lead, and he was running into the strongest headwind.
Prandini, Washington and Stevens have a more moderate schedule, with only the semifinals being contested Saturday. Prandini is primed to make her first Olympic team, and Washington and Stevens are riding an incredible wave after going 1-2 in the NCAA Outdoor championships last month, then running well Friday.
Saturday's Schedule (Oregon Entrants)
12:30 p.m.: Heptathlon, 100 hurdles
1:30 p.m.: Heptathlon, high jump
3:30 p.m.: Heptathlon, shot put
4 p.m.: Women's javelin, final
4:15 p.m.: Men's triple jump, final
4:25 p.m.: Men's 110 hurdles, semifinals (Devon Allen)
4:40 p.m.: Heptathlon, 200 meters
5:03 p.m.: Women's 200 meters, semifinals (Jenna Prandini, Ariana Washington, Deajah Stevens)
5:20 p.m.: Men's 5,000 meters, final (Galen Rupp, Eric Jenkins)
5:42 p.m.: Men's 200, final
5:52 p.m.: Men's 110 hurdles, final (Devon Allen)
Players Mentioned
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