Photo by: Kirby Lee
Gardner Helps Americans Win Relay Gold
08/19/16 | Track and Field
RIO DE JANEIRO – English Gardner became the first Duck woman to run in an Olympic final and win a gold medal.
Gardner ran the third leg of Team USA's 4x100 meter relay. She took the baton from Allyson Felix, who ran a dynamic second leg, and drew even with the Jamaicans around the corner as she handed the stick off to Tori Bowie. Bowie then ran away from the field on the anchor leg as the United States won in 41.01 despite running in lane one.
Jamaica got the silver in 41.46 with Great Britain in bronze position in 41.77.
The only other Duck woman to win a gold medal was Keshia Baker, who won a gold as a member of the 4x400 meter relay team in London. Baker ran in the semis but did not run in the final.
Earlier Friday, in the semifinals of the women's 4x400 meter relay, UO alum Phyllis Francis anchored the U.S. team to a victory in its heat. The Americans ran 3:21.42 in heat one with Ukraine second in 3:24.54. Jamaica won heat two in 3:22.38 and will square off with the U.S. in Saturday's final.
The track and field portion of 2016 Summer Olympics continues with a school-record 17 current and former Ducks in Rio (11 on Team USA, three for Canada, and one each for Australia, Greece and Guatemala). This is the 20th straight Olympiad that the University of Oregon has been represented, a streak that dates to the 1932 Games in Los Angeles.
In addition to the 17 current and former Ducks competing in Rio, the head coach of the U.S. Men's Track and Field team is UO associate athletic director Vin Lananna.
Goducks.com will provide a daily Olympics version of "What to Watch," as well as a recap of Ducks in competition through the remainder of the Games.
What to Watch – Saturday, August 20
Two medal opportunities are out there for the Ducks as the track and field competition wraps up.
Phyllis Francis will be part of a strong team in the women's 4x400 relay for the United States. Only Great Britain (3:25.05), also a finalist, came into Rio with a faster time in the world this season than the Americans' 3:25.48. Rival Jamaica won their semifinal heat on Friday to set up an exciting final.
Somewhat under the radar, Matthew Centrowitz has qualified for his second consecutive men's 1,500 meter final. The 2011 NCAA 1,500 meter champion for Oregon was fourth at that distance at the 2012 London Olympics and won the IAAF World indoor title at 1,500 meters earlier this year in Portland, Ore.
In a fairly loaded final, the favorite is Kenya's Asbel Kiprop, who won gold at the 2008 Beijing Games, before a shocking 12th place finish in London. Kiprop has also won the last three IAAF World outdoor 1,500 meter titles.
Among the faster runners who also advanced to the final are Ryan Gregson of Australia, Ronald Kwemoi of Kenya, Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria and Ayanleh Souleiman of Djibouti.
Also Saturday, former UO steeplechase record holder Claire Michel will compete in the triathlon for Belgium.
What to Watch – Sunday, August 21
Two teammates from the Ducks' 2007 NCAA championship cross country team will run in the Olympic marathon for the first time.
Galen Rupp ran a season-best 27:08.92 to finish fifth in the 10,000 meters, missing out on a medal by less than three seconds, on Aug. 13.
Rupp was the silver medalist at 10,000 meters at the London Olympics and is an eight-time U.S. champion at that distance. He is the American 10,000 meter record holder (26:48.0) and won five NCAA titles (cross country, indoor 3,000 and 5,000 meters, outdoor 5,000 and 10,000 meters) as a senior at Oregon in 2008
-09.
Carlos Trujillo was the 2008 Pac-10 champion at 10,000 meters, and will represent Guatemala in the marathon.
Schedule – Saturday, August 20
All times Pacific
3:00 a.m. Claire Michel (BEL) Women's Triathlon
5:00 p.m. Matthew Centrowitz (USA) Men's 1,500 Meters – FINAL
6:00 p.m. Phyllis Francis (USA) Women's 4x400 Meter Relay – FINAL
Schedule – Sunday, August 21
All times Pacific
5:30 a.m. Galen Rupp (USA), Carlos Trujillo (GUA) Men's Marathon
- www.GoDucks.com –
Gardner ran the third leg of Team USA's 4x100 meter relay. She took the baton from Allyson Felix, who ran a dynamic second leg, and drew even with the Jamaicans around the corner as she handed the stick off to Tori Bowie. Bowie then ran away from the field on the anchor leg as the United States won in 41.01 despite running in lane one.
Jamaica got the silver in 41.46 with Great Britain in bronze position in 41.77.
The only other Duck woman to win a gold medal was Keshia Baker, who won a gold as a member of the 4x400 meter relay team in London. Baker ran in the semis but did not run in the final.
Earlier Friday, in the semifinals of the women's 4x400 meter relay, UO alum Phyllis Francis anchored the U.S. team to a victory in its heat. The Americans ran 3:21.42 in heat one with Ukraine second in 3:24.54. Jamaica won heat two in 3:22.38 and will square off with the U.S. in Saturday's final.
The track and field portion of 2016 Summer Olympics continues with a school-record 17 current and former Ducks in Rio (11 on Team USA, three for Canada, and one each for Australia, Greece and Guatemala). This is the 20th straight Olympiad that the University of Oregon has been represented, a streak that dates to the 1932 Games in Los Angeles.
In addition to the 17 current and former Ducks competing in Rio, the head coach of the U.S. Men's Track and Field team is UO associate athletic director Vin Lananna.
Goducks.com will provide a daily Olympics version of "What to Watch," as well as a recap of Ducks in competition through the remainder of the Games.
What to Watch – Saturday, August 20
Two medal opportunities are out there for the Ducks as the track and field competition wraps up.
Phyllis Francis will be part of a strong team in the women's 4x400 relay for the United States. Only Great Britain (3:25.05), also a finalist, came into Rio with a faster time in the world this season than the Americans' 3:25.48. Rival Jamaica won their semifinal heat on Friday to set up an exciting final.
Somewhat under the radar, Matthew Centrowitz has qualified for his second consecutive men's 1,500 meter final. The 2011 NCAA 1,500 meter champion for Oregon was fourth at that distance at the 2012 London Olympics and won the IAAF World indoor title at 1,500 meters earlier this year in Portland, Ore.
In a fairly loaded final, the favorite is Kenya's Asbel Kiprop, who won gold at the 2008 Beijing Games, before a shocking 12th place finish in London. Kiprop has also won the last three IAAF World outdoor 1,500 meter titles.
Among the faster runners who also advanced to the final are Ryan Gregson of Australia, Ronald Kwemoi of Kenya, Taoufik Makhloufi of Algeria and Ayanleh Souleiman of Djibouti.
Also Saturday, former UO steeplechase record holder Claire Michel will compete in the triathlon for Belgium.
What to Watch – Sunday, August 21
Two teammates from the Ducks' 2007 NCAA championship cross country team will run in the Olympic marathon for the first time.
Galen Rupp ran a season-best 27:08.92 to finish fifth in the 10,000 meters, missing out on a medal by less than three seconds, on Aug. 13.
Rupp was the silver medalist at 10,000 meters at the London Olympics and is an eight-time U.S. champion at that distance. He is the American 10,000 meter record holder (26:48.0) and won five NCAA titles (cross country, indoor 3,000 and 5,000 meters, outdoor 5,000 and 10,000 meters) as a senior at Oregon in 2008
-09.
Carlos Trujillo was the 2008 Pac-10 champion at 10,000 meters, and will represent Guatemala in the marathon.
Schedule – Saturday, August 20
All times Pacific
3:00 a.m. Claire Michel (BEL) Women's Triathlon
5:00 p.m. Matthew Centrowitz (USA) Men's 1,500 Meters – FINAL
6:00 p.m. Phyllis Francis (USA) Women's 4x400 Meter Relay – FINAL
Schedule – Sunday, August 21
All times Pacific
5:30 a.m. Galen Rupp (USA), Carlos Trujillo (GUA) Men's Marathon
- www.GoDucks.com –
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