JuVaughn Harrison made it through the US Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon, to advance to the length and height final on Friday. Good times in the 200m semi-final for Jenna Prandini and Gabby Thomas. Quiet starts over 400m hurdles for Rai Benjamin, Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad. The days go by and the temperature keeps rising at Hayward Field in Eugene (Oregon). More than 35 degrees this Friday, marked in particular by the 20”04 of the prodigy Erriyon Knighton (17), best time in the 200m series. The length qualifying saw Jarrion Lawson pull off the best performance of the day with 8.12m (+ 3.2m / s) as recent NCAA champion JuVaughn Harrison also climbed to the final (8.06m, + 0 , 4 m / s), unlike Will Claye, 24th and last with 7.18 m (+ 0.7). Harrison had a very filling day since the one who also shines at the height was entered an hour and a half later in his second competition. After a nap in the shade to find a little coolness despite the 35 degrees transforming Hayward Field into a furnace, the student at LSU (22 years old) also fulfilled his contract by crossing 2.19 m on his first attempt, after a dead end at 2.14 m. He is therefore one of the finalists in “his” two events, and can achieve an unprecedented performance by winning his ticket to Tokyo in both length and height.
“In the end I only did three jumps today (two in length including one bitten, one in height) noted Harrison. Sunday (day of the two finals), that should be fun! It will not be the first time that I compete in two events on the same day, I will just make sure to apply what my coach asks of me. The heat (more than 40 degrees are expected Sunday in Eugene) ? I love it, I’m used to it even in competition. Qualifying for length and height at the Olympics would be my greatest accomplishment. And if I win both events at the Olympics, an even greater accomplishment! But let’s take it step by step. “ 200m: Prandini and Thomas have a date The semifinals of the 200m women allowed Jenna Prandini to set a new personal best (21”99, + 0.3 m / s) by beating Allyson Felix (22 20), who therefore qualifies from her lane 9 for her second final of the week after that of the 400m, in which she took second place, offering her the certainty of playing her fifth Olympic Games in Japan at 35 years old. In the other semi-final, Gabby Thomas confirmed her very good form. After her 21”98 Thursday in the series, the slender student in epidemiology this time won in 21”94 (+ 1.8 m / s) and will undoubtedly deliver a beautiful duel to Prandini in the final.
The 3,000m steeplechase men was won by Hillary Bor (8’21”34) ahead of Benard Keter (8’21”81) and Mason Ferlic (8’22”05). On the men’s disc, victory for Mason Finley with 63.07 m. The 2017 Worlds bronze medalist took the best over Reggie Jagers (62.61m) and Sam Mattis (62.51m). Impressive Athing Mu over 800m In the semi-finals of the 800m, the very promising Athing Mu (19) made another strong impression by winning in 1’59”31 without ever appearing stressed by the event. In the other semi-final, the bronze medalist of the 2017 and 2019 Worlds Ajee ‘Wilson won in 1’59”49 without giving off the same feeling of ease. Just as impressive as Mu, Rai Benjamin quietly managed his semi-final in the 400m hurdles, started at a very muscular pace and completed in 48”61, ending with a short jog in the last fifty meters. Too sensitive starting blocks In the first round of the women’s 400m hurdles, technical problems (too high sensitivity of the starting blocks) delayed the start of Sydney McLaughlin’s series. But the vice-world champion in Doha seemed in total control, winning in 54”07 after 98 hundredths ahead of Nnenya Hailey. World champion and record holder Dalilah Muhammad was just as quiet in her series, won in 55.51 with almost a second and a half of margin. The first round of the 110m hurdles was flown by the world champion Grant Holloway (13”11, + 0.7 m / s), impressive winner of his series with … 4th world time of the year! The entries of the 4th series had a lot of merit to complete their race after technical problems for the starter recalling the athletes three times then a false start. In the javelin, the recent record holder of the United States (66.82 m) Maggie Malone unsurprisingly dominated the qualifying competition with a throw at 59.62 m, ahead of Kara Winger (58.78 m) and Ariana Ince (57, 72 m).
–
