Photo by: Eric Evans/GoDucks.com
Allen's Quest For Olympic Gold Begins Monday
08/15/16 | Football, Track and Field
RIO DE JANEIRO — Devon Allen might not be facing the best competition in the world when he laces up his spikes to race the 110-meter hurdles at the Rio Olympics, though it will be competition enough to challenge the two-sport UO star.
Sure, doping charges and injuries have removed some of his biggest rivals. But the biggest reason the field isn't as stacked as it could be?
It's football.
Yes, the sport Allen plays when he's not winning medals on the track has claimed at least dozens, and more likely hundreds, of potential Olympic-caliber sprinters, jumpers and hurdlers.
"Football is more lucrative for great athletes," said Allen, who will be in the fourth heat when the preliminary rounds begin Monday at 4:40 p.m. PT. "A lot of football players I've been around that I've seen could be great track athletes as well, but they just choose a different path. So I really think it's up to the athlete's choice. If they love one sport or they love another sport, that's what they should do.
It's not just the sprints either. Team USA triple jumper Christian Taylor said he saw the same drain on his sport while growing up in a small town in Fayette County near Atlanta.
"Football is very big in the South and a lot of the best track and field guys are taken away from that," Taylor said. "But I just try my best to really show them that I'm human and just as 'Fayette' as they are."
What Allen would like to do is continue to compete in both at the highest level possible. Yet with his first round of competition starting Monday, he understandably is all-consumed with the hurdles right now.
In the Olympic Trials at Hayward Field last month, Allen followed up his 2014 USA Outdoor win by becoming the first collegiate winner of the event at the Trials since 1980. In addition, his personal-best time of 13.03 seconds also made him the second-fastest hurdler in the world this year. Only Jamaica's Omar McCleod has run faster this season, posting times of 12.98 and 13.01.
This week in Rio, McCleod will be trying to win his country's first gold medal in the event, while Allen will be trying to continue the USA's dominance. The United States has won all but eight gold medals since the 110 hurdles began being contested.
Notably missing from the field will be Russia's Sergey Shubenkov, the 2015 world champion, who is barred from competition by the IAAF's ban on his country after the discovery of a system-wide doping scandal
"As an athlete, you want to always compete against the best. and the defending world champion is Russian. So as a competitor I want to compete against him," Allen said. "On the other side, I don't make the rules, I just show up and compete. I can't really say if it's good or bad. The athletes who are here are going to compete well and I'm excited to compete against them."
Allen's UO football teammates have already scheduled a team meeting of sorts to watch Allen run Monday; his heat will begin shortly after the Ducks wrap up their afternoon walk-through. If he finishes in the top four of his heat, or with one of the top four remaining times of the four heats, his teammates will have to schedule another meeting to watch the semifinals late Tuesday afternoon. The final is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. PT.
Most athletes go on vacation after the Games, but even if Allen achieves his goals, he won't have much time to enjoy the spoils of victory. Once he returns to Eugene, he'll have to catch up on preparations for the football team's season opener Sept. 3 against visiting UC Davis.
But, as a benefit, he'll get to eat well again after trying to trim down for track.
"During track season I don't get to enjoy food as much as I'd like to," Allen said. "My diet's a little strict, but during football I bulk up a little more."
After eight years of balancing both sports, Allen said he'd like to continue to harken his inner Bo Jackson.
"Any smart athlete would consider both options. Right now, I'm considering doing both," Allen said.
He then pointed to Marquise Goodwin, a wide receiver and kick returner for the Buffalo Bills who reached the 2012 Olympics in long jump, as an example that it can be done.
"It is something very possible for me in the future. I'm going to see where it goes," Allen said. "I have a year left. Once I'm done with school, I will try to decide."
Sure, doping charges and injuries have removed some of his biggest rivals. But the biggest reason the field isn't as stacked as it could be?
It's football.
Yes, the sport Allen plays when he's not winning medals on the track has claimed at least dozens, and more likely hundreds, of potential Olympic-caliber sprinters, jumpers and hurdlers.
"Football is more lucrative for great athletes," said Allen, who will be in the fourth heat when the preliminary rounds begin Monday at 4:40 p.m. PT. "A lot of football players I've been around that I've seen could be great track athletes as well, but they just choose a different path. So I really think it's up to the athlete's choice. If they love one sport or they love another sport, that's what they should do.
It's not just the sprints either. Team USA triple jumper Christian Taylor said he saw the same drain on his sport while growing up in a small town in Fayette County near Atlanta.
"Football is very big in the South and a lot of the best track and field guys are taken away from that," Taylor said. "But I just try my best to really show them that I'm human and just as 'Fayette' as they are."
What Allen would like to do is continue to compete in both at the highest level possible. Yet with his first round of competition starting Monday, he understandably is all-consumed with the hurdles right now.
In the Olympic Trials at Hayward Field last month, Allen followed up his 2014 USA Outdoor win by becoming the first collegiate winner of the event at the Trials since 1980. In addition, his personal-best time of 13.03 seconds also made him the second-fastest hurdler in the world this year. Only Jamaica's Omar McCleod has run faster this season, posting times of 12.98 and 13.01.
This week in Rio, McCleod will be trying to win his country's first gold medal in the event, while Allen will be trying to continue the USA's dominance. The United States has won all but eight gold medals since the 110 hurdles began being contested.
Notably missing from the field will be Russia's Sergey Shubenkov, the 2015 world champion, who is barred from competition by the IAAF's ban on his country after the discovery of a system-wide doping scandal
"As an athlete, you want to always compete against the best. and the defending world champion is Russian. So as a competitor I want to compete against him," Allen said. "On the other side, I don't make the rules, I just show up and compete. I can't really say if it's good or bad. The athletes who are here are going to compete well and I'm excited to compete against them."
Allen's UO football teammates have already scheduled a team meeting of sorts to watch Allen run Monday; his heat will begin shortly after the Ducks wrap up their afternoon walk-through. If he finishes in the top four of his heat, or with one of the top four remaining times of the four heats, his teammates will have to schedule another meeting to watch the semifinals late Tuesday afternoon. The final is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:45 p.m. PT.
Most athletes go on vacation after the Games, but even if Allen achieves his goals, he won't have much time to enjoy the spoils of victory. Once he returns to Eugene, he'll have to catch up on preparations for the football team's season opener Sept. 3 against visiting UC Davis.
But, as a benefit, he'll get to eat well again after trying to trim down for track.
"During track season I don't get to enjoy food as much as I'd like to," Allen said. "My diet's a little strict, but during football I bulk up a little more."
After eight years of balancing both sports, Allen said he'd like to continue to harken his inner Bo Jackson.
"Any smart athlete would consider both options. Right now, I'm considering doing both," Allen said.
He then pointed to Marquise Goodwin, a wide receiver and kick returner for the Buffalo Bills who reached the 2012 Olympics in long jump, as an example that it can be done.
"It is something very possible for me in the future. I'm going to see where it goes," Allen said. "I have a year left. Once I'm done with school, I will try to decide."
Players Mentioned
WR
/ FootballAaliyah McCormick | NCAA 100M Hurdles National Champion
Thursday, June 19
Matti Erickson | NCAA 800M Runner Up
Saturday, June 14
Hayward Field History
Thursday, June 12
2024-25 Oregon Track & Field Intro Video
Thursday, June 12
