Jeff Henderson Wins Historically Deep Long Jump; Age Defeats Youth In Women’s High Jump and The Ashton Eaton Show Continues

by LetsRun.com
July 3, 2016

EUGENE, Ore — The field event action didn’t disappoint on Sunday at the 2016 US Olympic Track and Field Trials.

Below, we recap the women’s high jump, men’s long jump and decathlon which all concluded today.

Men’s LJ: Jeffery Henderson Wins Historically Deep Men’s Long Jump

In a historically great men’s long jump, Jeffery Henderson emerged as the victor with a third-round jump of 28-2 ¼, (8.59m, 2.6 m/s wind). NCAA 100, 200 and LJ champion Jarrion Lawson took second by becoming just the 9th American to go over 28 feet with a legal wind as he jumped 28-1 ¾ (8.58 m, 1.8 m/s wind).

2012 Olympic bronze medallist Will Claye finished third as he and Marquis Dendy both jumped 27-7 ½ (8.42m) but Claye had a better second jump. However, USATF said that Claye will not be going to Rio as surprisingly the London medallist doesn’t have the Olympic standard of 8.15m; all of Claye’s jumps today were wind-aided save for his first-round foul. Claye’s best wind-legal jump during the qualification period that started on May 1, 2015, was the 8.14m he jumped in the preliminary round yesterday.

Claye isn’t the only great jumper that won’t be in Rio as all-time best marks for place (all conditions) were set for places 4-5-6-7.

The world leader coming into the meet was 8.45m (set by the Buffalo Bills’ Marquise Goodwin) and it nearly took that to make it to Rio. Goodwin was in the competition and his 2016 Olympic dreams didn’t come to fruition as he finished 7th with at 27-0 ¾ (8.25m).

This Was A Crazy Competition With Dendy Going from 11th to 1st to 4th and Then Being Unable to Jump

Marquis Dendy was 11th when he jumped in the 3rd round, with only the top 8 going to the final 3 jumps. He responded with a clutch 8.42 to take the lead that was soon surpassed by Henderson’s 8.59. Dendy would stop a few strides into his 4th jump, pulling up with what he thought was a cramp, but later was described as a problem with his Achilles. He was on crutches in the mixed zone, but did not seem too worried about the injury and thought he would be able to compete in Rio. He said he found out via text that Claye did not have the standard and he would get to go to Rio.

Results

PLACE ATHLETE RESULT 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH 5TH 6TH POS
1 Jeffery Henderson
adidas
8.59

28-2 ¼

2.9
8.41
27-7 ¼
2.3
1
8.04
26-4 ½
2.2
1
8.59
28-2 ¼
2.9
1
8.34
27-4 ½
3.1
1
P
1
8.19
26-10 ½
2.0
1
12
2 Jarrion Lawson
ASICS
8.58

28-1 ¾

1.8
8.20
26-11
2.5
2
8.32
27-3 ¾
2.5
2
F
2.1
6
8.58
28-1 ¾
1.8
2
P
2
P
2
4
3 Will Claye
Nike
8.42

27-7 ½

5.0
F
1.5
8.09
26-6 ½
2.3
5
8.05
26-5
2.4
8
8.38
27-6
3.3
5
8.42
27-7 ½
5.0
3
7.93
26-0 ¼
2.7
3
6
4 Marquis Dendy
Nike
8.42

27-7 ½

1.6
7.75
25-5 ¼
2.4
8
F
4.0
10
8.42
27-7 ½
1.6
2
F
1.6
3
P
4
P
4
9
5 Mike Hartfield
adidas / Chula Vista Elite
8.39

27-6 ½

3.2
F
2.0
8.23
27-0
2.4
3
8.34
27-4 ½
3.4
3
8.39
27-6 ½
3.2
4
8.34
27-4 ½
4.1
5
8.22
26-11 ¾
3.2
5
1
6 KeAndre Bates
Florida
8.32

27-3 ¾

3.6
7.95
26-1
2.8
4
7.84
25-8 ¾
4.1
6
8.32
27-3 ¾
3.6
4
8.00
26-3
1.4
6
8.29
27-2 ½
2.6
6
8.19
26-10 ½
2.3
6
11
7 Marquise Goodwin
Unattached
8.25

27-0 ¾

2.7
7.92
26-0
3.1
5
F
4.8
7
8.25
27-0 ¾
2.7
5
F
2.5
7
8.17
26-9 ¾
2.5
7
8.17
26-9 ¾
2.4
7
3
8 Damarcus Simpson
Chadron St.
8.12

26-7 ¾

2.0
8.12
26-7 ¾
2.0
3
F
3.5
4
F
3.7
7
F
3.6
8
F
2.5
8
F
1.5
8
8
9 Norris Frederick
Zensah
8.04

26-4 ½

2.0
F
3.5
7.71
25-3 ½
1.5
11
8.04
26-4 ½
2.0
9
5
10 Adoree Jackson
Unattached
7.83

25-8 ¼

1.3
7.83
25-8 ¼
1.3
6
7.52
24-8 ¼
3.5
8
7.66
25-1 ¾
3.1
10
10
11 Mikese Morse
Unattached
7.81

25-7 ½

1.8
7.81
25-7 ½
1.8
7
7.66
25-1 ¾
1.2
9
7.73
25-4 ½
2.8
11
7
Jarvis Gotch
Unattached
nm
3.8
F
3.2
F
1.8
F
3.8

Henderson, who was 4th at World Indoors and a finalist last year, talked about the competition and about his love for his mother who developed Alzheimer’s at the end of his HS career and now is bedridden and doesn’t know his name

Article continues below player.

Lawson had a very busy day

He had to run the 100 semis, where he ran a windy 10.01, in the middle of the long jump, then finish the long jump and then run the 100 final after the long jump, where he finished 7th in 10.07.

QT: Will Claye Gets 3rd But Doesn’t Have The Olympic Standard

Will Claye was really happy with the way he jumped and how he came back from the injury issues he had earlier in the season, which kept from jumping and getting the Olympic standard before the meet. He was frustrated with the outcome as things beyond his control now seem to have ended his 2016 Olympic dream. Claye said he didn’t go for the standard on the first day in qualification because he knew he’d have to get the standard anyway to make the team in the final. But he hadn’t planned on not getting any wind-legal jumps and he said he tried to wait on his jumps until the wind died down, but unfortunately it never did.

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Claye said he hasn’t given up on being on Team USA in the LJ as his coach and team are going to fight to get him a spot, but his focus will now turn towards the triple jump where he does have the standard. He said he feels blessed to be healthy and feeling good going into that event.

While Claye doesn’t have the 8.15m standard, the IAAF offers invites to athletes who don’t have the standard in order to fill the event at the Olympics. With Claye’s place on the world descending order list, he would likely get an IAAF invite, but USATF has said they will be choosing Dendy over Claye for the team. The USATF guidelines do state that the IAAF invite procedures only matter if there are fewer than three athletes with the standard. But it is a little odd that, in the same paragraph, USATF says that it is trying to honor the finish of athletes at the Trials and then a few sentences later goes against that very point. Here is what the USATF said about its selection procedures before the meet (If you’ve got insight on what it means, email us):

In some events, the IOC/IAAF may invite athletes based on the IAAF ranking lists in order to reach the target number of competitors for each event as listed by the IAAF for the 2016 Olympic Games. USATF shall accept any invitations extended to U.S. athletes if such acceptance does not displace an athlete who has finished ahead of the invited athlete(s) at the Trials and who has met the 2016 Olympic Games Qualification Standard or who is also in a position to receive an IAAF invitation. In the event that one or more of the top placers in the Trials has not met the 2016 Olympic Games Qualification Standard but has a performance that appears to be good enough to warrant an invitation based on the ranking list and number of known qualifiers, USATF may solicit an invitation from the IAAF for that athlete(s) notwithstanding that other U.S. athletes have met the 2016 Olympic Games Qualification Standard. The intent is that, to the extent possible, the order of finish at the 2016 U. S. Olympic Team Trials – Track & Field shall determine whether an athlete competes in the Olympic Games. There will be no invitations through the use of the ranking lists  in  the  5,000m,  10,000m,  race  walk  and  marathon.  Note:  The IAAF invitation procedures will not come into play unless USATF has less than 3 entrants in an event.”

Marquise Goodwin says he will probably keep jumping

Goodwin was in very high spirits despite his seventh-place finish, saying that he’s in a good place. He said he may compete in a few more Diamond League meets this summer because if he wins the DL, he’ll get a bye into Worlds next year. He also added that when he does get back to football, he’ll have to add some pounds which is a welcome change as he’s been eating like a bird to stay lean for the LJ.

Goodwin remains unsponsored as a track and field athlete (he receives gear through his Nike football deal). In the video, he asked Phil Knight to remember he’s a jumper too, and not just a football player.

Women’s High Jump: Chaunte Lowe Outduels Vashti Cunningham

Score one for experience.

In the battle between 18-year-old sensation Vashti Cunningham and the 32-year-old Chaunte Lowe, Lowe ended up victorious as she won her 8th US title (3rd straight) by clearing 6’7″ (2.01m), the first 2.00 jump of the year in the world. Cunningham, the world indoor champ, earned her first Olympic appearance by finishing 2nd (6’5.5” 1.97m).

Coming into the competition, only four Americans had the 1.93m (6’4″) IAAF standard but Inika McPherson, who lost her 2014 US title after testing positive for cocaine, cleared that height on her first attempt (after needing three attempts to get over 1.89m) to finish third and punch her ticket to Rio.

Amina Smith was 4th (1.91m , 6’3 ¼”) as Dartmouth’s Kaitlin Whitehorn was a surprise fifth (1.89m, 6’2 ¼”).

Results

PLACE ATHLETE RESULT 1.79
5-10 ½
1.84
6-0 ½
1.89
6-2 ¼
1.91
6-3 ¼
1.93
6-4
1.95
6-4 ¾
1.97
6-5 ½
1.99
6-6 ¼
2.01
6-7
POS
1 Chaunte Lowe
Nike
2.01
6-7
O O O O O O O XO XO 6
2 Vashti Cunningham
Nike
1.97
6-5 ½
O O O O O XXO O XXX 5
3 Inika McPherson
Unattached
1.93
6-4
PPP O XXO O O XXX 12
4 Amina Smith
adidas Garden State TC
1.91
6-3 ¼
O O XXO O XXX 11
5 Kaitlin Whitehorn
Dartmouth
1.89
6-2 ¼
O O O XXX 3
6 Elizabeth Patterson
Unattached
1.89
6-2 ¼
O XO XXO XXX 9
7 Madeline Fagan
Georgia
1.84
6-0 ½
O O XXX 8
8 Maya Pressley
Georgia TC
1.84
6-0 ½
O XO XXX 7
8 Rachel McCoy
Unattached
1.84
6-0 ½
O XO XXX 10
10 Susan Jackson
Heights Performance
1.84
6-0 ½
O XXO XXX 4
11 Kaysee Pilgrim
UNLV
1.79
5-10 ½
XO XXX 2
Zibby Boyer
adidas
nh
XXX 1

QT: Lowe was emotional after this one and said that, like Ryan Hall once was, she was coached by God recently

Lowe has three children and said that this trip to the Trials was like a vacation for her and her husband as they were finally able to get some sleep. She also was proud to have won her eighth U.S. title as going into this meet, Cunningham was the one receiving all the hype. But Lowe is the American record holder indoors and out, and she showed why today with another tremendous performance.

Lowe interestingly referenced Ryan Hall during her interview as she said, “I don’t know if you guys know Ryan Hall? He did the faith based training where he just really relied on God to tell him what he needed to do every day. That’s what I did with my coaching this year. It was me and the Lord out there on that apron. … It turned out really well.”

QT: Vashti Cunningham Happy To Make Olympics, But She Wanted To Win

QT: Inika McPherson Says She Has Over 30 Tattoos But Will Still Have Room For The Olympic Rings

McPherson talks about coming back from her cocaine suspension and her unique style and tattoos.

QT: Inika McPherson’s Coach Says She Jumped The Standard Twice Before The Trials

McPherson didn’t officially have the standard coming into the meet, but explained that she had jumped over 1.93m twice in unsanctioned meets that weren’t accepted by USATF.

Men’s Decathlon: The Ashton Eaton Show Books Its Spot in Rio

Ashton Eaton wasn’t at his best today as he came into the meet dealing quad and hamstring injuries, but when you’re that much better than everyone else, you don’t need to be at your best. In his first decathlon since winning Worlds last year, Eaton easily won the competition with 8750 points — 295 points lower than his 9045 world record, but still 325 points ahead of the Brooks Beasts’ Jeremy Taiwo. The University of Wisconsin’s Zach Ziemek got the third Olympic spot with a 113-point PB.

Results

PLACE ATHLETE TOTAL 100M LJ SP HJ 400M 110MH DT PV JT 1500M
1

Ashton Eaton

Nike OTC

8750

1013

10.34

1020

7.84

731

14.04

803

2.00

993

46.30

1027

13.60

693

41.39

988

5.25

705

57.84

777

4:25.15

2

Jeremy Taiwo

Brooks / BROOKS Beasts TC

8425

874

10.94

947

7.55

782

14.88

1002

2.21

873

48.76

946

14.22

707

42.10

834

4.75

630

52.82

830

4:17.35

3

Zach Ziemek

Wisconsin

8413

952

10.60

990

7.72

735

14.11

887

2.09

847

49.30

857

14.94

832

48.17

988

5.25

696

57.24

629

4:48.21

4

Garrett Scantling

Georgia

8228

892

10.86

871

7.24

849

15.97

859

2.06

767

51.04

958

14.13

741

43.76

865

4.85

880

69.37

546

5:02.32

5

Devon Williams

Georgia

7927

940

10.65

990

7.72

662

12.92

776

1.97

839

49.48

977

13.98

776

45.44

746

4.45

589

50.00

632

4:47.88

6

Solomon Simmons

Eastern Michigan

7829

908

10.79

781

6.86

784

14.91

696

1.88

841

49.44

951

14.18

776

45.45

746

4.45

705

57.83

641

4:46.37

7

Mitch Modin

Oregon

7785

890

10.87

915

7.42

723

13.92

776

1.97

830

49.67

905

14.55

626

38.10

834

4.75

706

57.87

580

4:56.49

8

Austin Bahner

Shocker TC

7776

897

10.84

905

7.38

720

13.86

696

1.88

821

49.87

788

15.52

777

45.49

865

4.85

657

54.59

650

4:44.93

9

Curtis Beach

Nike

7728

917

10.75

893

7.33

643

12.61

696

1.88

898

48.23

856

14.95

601

36.85

804

4.65

554

47.65

866

4:12.13

10

Scott Filip

Rice

7680

917

10.75

903

7.37

699

13.52

803

2.00

858

49.08

850

15.00

656

39.58

775

4.55

558

47.96

661

4:43.08

11

Kurtis Brondyke

Unattached

7614

847

11.06

753

6.74

811

15.35

749

1.94

757

51.26

873

14.81

827

47.91

688

4.25

711

58.21

598

4:53.46

12

Steven Bastien

Michigan

7599

929

10.70

972

7.65

628

12.36

776

1.97

854

49.15

870

14.83

717

42.58

804

4.65

571

48.83

478

5:14.77

13

Kale Wolken

Doane

7576

825

11.16

869

7.23

669

13.03

723

1.91

806

50.18

831

15.15

677

40.60

834

4.75

699

57.44

643

4:45.92

14

Thomas FitzSimons

ABEO / Santa Barbara TC

7392

804

11.26

729

6.64

675

13.12

670

1.85

807

50.17

820

15.25

642

38.87

775

4.55

680

56.15

790

4:23.16

15

Harrison Williams

Stanford

6951

926

10.71

823

7.04

671

13.06

749

1.94

975

46.66

959

14.12

650

39.28

557

47.83

641

4:46.29

16

Miller Moss

Unattached

6610

865

10.98

826

7.05

725

13.94

723

1.91

775

50.87

900

14.59

727

43.06

558

47.91

511

5:08.61

DNS

Trey Hardee

Nike

3329

966

10.54

797

6.93

832

15.68

644

1.82

90

1:12.49

DNS

Timothy Ehrhardt

Michigan St.

1745

883

10.90

862

7.20

QT: Ashton Eaton: “You Almost Don’t Even Talk About World Records”

Eaton said he isn’t celebrating Rio gold yet as “there are really good competitors” who will “put up a fight”. Asked if he had thoughts about going for his own world record in Rio Eaton said, “You almost don’t even talk about world records. I mean, if it’s there at the end, sure I’ll run and try to get it. But other than that it’s just event to event competing.”

QT: A Great Meet For Jeremy Taiwo

Jeremy Taiwo drew some sarcastic smiles when he said at the Brooks Beasts press conference on Thursday that after finishing 3rd and 2nd at USAs the past two years, he wanted to win at the Trials. He might not have beaten the greatest decathlete the world has ever seen, but he did impress as he set a 112-point PB, lead the competition after 4 events, and broke the Olympic Trials record for the decathlon high jump with a clearance of 2.21m.

Taiwo gave a long 10-minute post-meet interview. Late in the interview he complained about lack of the funding for decathletes in the United States, explaining how he lives below the poverty line and had to crowdfund $17,000 to support himself.

Later at the press conference Taiwo said, “If the market keeps shifting away from multi-eventers and decathletes, it’s going to be really tough for this thing to keep going on” (the video is the one in the QT below)

QT: The Media and the Decathletes Are Both Broke

Ashton Eaton likely makes seven figures a year. The rest of the decathletes do not. Eaton was asked about the popularity of the decathlon and he turned it back on the media saying, “The media tends to have a say in what gets promoted or not…Athletes are always set to super high standards, what standards are the media setting for themselves. What’s it like when you guys compete or or do you compete at all?”

There was a pause and Alan Abrahamson said, “We’re broke too.”

QT: Harry Marra Admitted He Was Worried About Ashton Eaton

Ashton Eaton’s long-time coach Harry Marra gave some interesting insights into Eaton’s preparations coming into the meet and said he was worried about the injuries he was dealing with. Marra explained how there is so much more room for something to go wrong in a decathlon than other events; all it would take is for Eaton’s hamstring to tighten up in one event for him to lose the whole thing. Given all that, Marra was very happy with the day.

Looking ahead to the future, Marra said he doesn’t know how long Eaton will go before retiring, but that he (Marra) isn’t going through 2020. He joked that if Eaton called him up in 2020 and asked for a favor to coach him he’d maybe come out of retirement, but that he wants to do be done coaching and “go have fun”.

 NBC’s Live Extra has live streaming of the Olympic Trials here: http://liveextra.nbcsports.com.

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