The Rest of the Meet: Felix Loses A Chance To Make History, Dalilah Muhammad Makes History, Sydney McLaughlin Arrives, and Kerron Clement Returns

by LetsRun.com
July 10, 2016

EUGENE, Ore. — The 2016 US Olympic Track and Field Trials came to an end today with a slew of upsets. Over the winter, the IOC changed the Olympic schedule so that sprint star Allyson Felix would be able to complete the 200/400 double but the schedule changed proved to be for nothing as Felix, the 2012 Olympic 200 champ, won’t be defending her crown as she was just 4th today. In the men’s 400 hurdles, world leader Johnny Dutch also failed to make it onto Team USA as he went from 1st to 5th after the last hurdle. On the bright side, the sport gained a new star as high schooler Sydney McLaughlin qualified for Rio in the 400 hurdles where Dalilah Muhammad set a new US championship record.

Below we recap the women’s 200, women’s and men’s 400 hurdles, men’s high jump, women’s pole vault and women’s heptathlon. The women’s 5000, women’s 1500 and men’s 1500 are recapped separately:

M1500 Matthew Centrowitz Delivers Again As Ben Blankenship Gets Revenge By Edging Leo Manzano For Final Olympic Spot

W1500 Women’s 1500m: Jenny Simpson Wins, Rowbury 2nd, and Brenda Martinez Makes it to Rio

W 5000  Molly Huddle Completes 10k/5k Double, Shelby Houlihan, Kim Conley, Abbey D’Agostino Going to Rio

Women’s 200: Tori Bowie Wins As Allyson Felix Fails To Make The Team

Allyson Felix may win double gold in Rio, but if she does it will have to be in the 400 and 4×400. After the IAAF rearranged the schedule in order for Felix to attempt the 200 and 400 double, she missed out on making the U.S. 200 team by an agonizing hundredth of a second. Tori Bowie won today’s 200 final at the U.S. Olympic Trials, clocking 22.25 into a -0.6 m/s headwind with NCAA runner-up Deajah Stevens of Oregon second in 22.30. Another Duck great, Jenna Prandini (now with Puma) was third, edging Felix with a dive at the line, 22.53 to 22.54.

For whatever reason — perhaps the ankle injury that has hobbled her this season — Felix, who got off to a poor start, was not able to summon the same strong final 100 as she did to win the 400 earlier in the meet. As a result, she’ll have to watch the 200 in Rio from the stands.

Race Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ECbCII74Ks

Results

Men’s 400 Hurdles: Kerron Clement Wins His First US Title In 10 Years

Ten years after his last US title, Kerron Clement is on top of the US yet again. Clement, the 2007 and 2009 world champ (2008 Olympic silver), came on late to get the win in a seasonal best of 48.50 as Johnny Dutch, who had the lead heading into the last hurdle, agonizingly faded to fifth (48.82) despite not hitting the last hurdle. Dutch came in as the world leader (48.10) but the 400 hurdles is a very tough event to make in the US. The University of Texas’ Byron Robinson, who mysteriously didn’t start the NCAA regionals (this article says he missed it due to a hamstring injury), grabbed the second Olympic spot in 48.79 as Michael Tinsley, the 2012 and 2013 silver medallist, was third in 48.82 just ahead of Ricky Babineaux (48.88).

Race Video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3zVRIjiuV4

Results

Women’s 400 Hurdles: Dalilah Muhammad Sets Trials and US Championship Record as HSer Sydney McLaughlin Punches Her Ticket To Rio

26-year-old Dalilah Muhammad, the 2013 World Championship silver medallist, ran a huge lifetime personal best of 52.88 (previous pb of 53.83) to win the women’s 400 hurdles title today. Behind her, Ashley Spencer and HS sensation Sydney McLaughlin both PR’d to punch their tickets to Rio as Spencer ran 54.02 to nab second (54.51 previous pb) and McLaughlin ran 54.15 (previous pb of 54.46). McLaughlin’s time was a new world junior mark as it surpassed the old record of 54.40 held by China’s Xing Wang (2005).

Muhammad’s winning time was a new US Championship and Olympic Trials record, surpassing the 52.95 run by Sheena Johnson in 2004. It’s also the fastest time run in the world since 2013 and it moves Muhammad into the top 5 all-time US at #5 (AR is 52.47). Finally, and perhaps most amazing of all, it’s just .24 off her flat 400 pb set earlier this year at Stanford.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ97dYjq068

Results

1 Dalilah Muhammad Nike 52.88
2 Ashley Spencer Nike 54.02
3 Sydney McLaughlin Unattached 54.15
4 Kori Carter Brand Jordan 54.47
5 Cassandra Tate adidas 54.6
6 Autumne Franklin Harvard 54.65
7 Jaide Stepter USC 54.95
8 Terea Brown adidas 56.29

As for Harvard’s Autumne Franklin, it’s hard to believe but that’s not even the school record as Brenda Taylor ran 53.56 in 2004.

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She's 16.

And she's going to Rio.

Welcome to #TeamUSA, Sydney McLaughlin! #TrackTown16 pic.twitter.com/nuzYWEwUCk

— TrackTown USA (@GoTrackTownUSA) July 10, 2016

More: USA Today: 16-year-old Sydney McLaughlin bound for Rio in 400 hurdles

Men’s High Jump: Erik Kynard Wins Third US Title

Erik Kynard, the 2012 Olympic silver medallist, won the competition by clearing four heights without a miss, including his winning mark of 7 feet, 6 inches. He failed to equal the meet record of 7-8½ on three attempts. For Kynard, it’s his second Olympic spot and third US title. The other Olympic spots went to Kyle Landon (7-5) Ricky Robertson and Bradley Adkins , who was one of five – yes 5 – jumpers whose best mark was 7-3. Only Atkins cleared 7-3 with a clean sheet however, which was enough to put him on the team.

More: Register-Guard: Erik Kynard repeats at men’s high jump champion

Results

Women’s Heptathlon: Barbara Nwaba Wins

Barbara Nwaba, who was 4th at World Indoors, won the title with 64.94 (nearly equal to her pb of 6500) as Heather Miller-Koch was second (6423). Five-time NCAA champion Kendell Williams of Georgia was third with a new pb of 6402 (previous pb of 6225), edging out Sharon Day-Monroe (6385).

More: UCSB Alum Barbara Nwaba Wins Olympic Trials Heptathlon, Books Trip to Rio

Results

Women’s Pole Vault: Jenn Suhr Wins as Arkansas Gets Two Olympians

Reigning Olympic champion Jenn Suhr, who isn’t a fan of the US Trials format, will get a chance to defend her title as she won by clearing 15’9″. Former and current Arkansas Razorbacks went 2-3 as world indoor silver medallist Sandi Morris was the runner-up to Suhr once again at 15’7″ and Arkansas true freshman Alexis Weeks was third at 15’5″.

Results