“USA is back”! American athletics is on track to reign supreme on the track at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo from July 23 to August 8, after another series of impressive performances during the Olympic selections on Saturday in Eugene, Oregon.
Who of Gabby Thomas, Rai Benjamin or Grant Holloway struck the spirits the most during the penultimate day of the “trials”? Difficult to say as their times have each failed to make them enter the history of the discipline.
Starting with the prodigy Gabby Thomas who only became at the age of 24 the second fastest sprinter in history over 200 m in 21 sec 61 / 100th.
The joy of the American Gabby Thomas, after her victory in the 200m in 21 sec 61, during the Olympic selections, June 26, 2021 in Eugene (Oregon)
Cliff Hawkins – GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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Only Florence Griffith-Joyner ran faster than she on the half-lap, twice, at the Seoul Olympics in 1988 (21 sec 56 / 100th in the semi-final, then 21 sec 34 / 100th in the final ). But this world record is tarnished by strong suspicions of doping.
“I am still in shock. I can not believe that I made this time,” reacted Gabby Thomas, in remarks reported by the American Olympic committee.
– “More motivation” –
Asked about her race, the Harvard graduate explained that she did not remember anything. “I couldn’t feel my legs anymore, I couldn’t think anymore, I was losing my mind,” she said.
As for being able to beat the record for “Flojo”? “I don’t want to say no,” she replied. “I don’t know. I don’t want to put limits on myself, so I’m not going to say he’s unattainable.”
The American Rai Benjamin (c), winner of the 400 m hurdles in 46.83 sec, 5/100 off the world record of his compatriot Kevin Young, during the Olympic selections, June 26, 2021 in Eugene (Oregon)
Steph Chambers – GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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For his part, Rai Benjamin, silver medalist in the 400m hurdles at the 2019 World Championships, signed with a time of 46 sec 83 / 100th the second best performance of all time.
Only his compatriot Kevin Young was faster (46 sec 78 / 100th) at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, 29 years ago.
The American Rai Benjamin, after winning the 400m hurdles in 46.83 sec, 5 / 100ths from the world record of his compatriot Kevin Young, during the Olympic selections, June 26, 2021 in Eugene (Oregon)
Steph Chambers – GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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“Five hundredths of a second (compared to the world record, Editor’s note), that’s nothing, reacted Benjamin, visibly disappointed. It hurts a little to think that I was almost there, but that I wasn’t I couldn’t catch it, but it’s just more motivation “for the Tokyo Olympics, he commented.
Like Gabby Thomas, Benjamin, who slowed down in the home stretch, will participate at 23 in his first Olympic Games in Tokyo, where he could win gold and bring down one of the oldest world records in the Athletics.
– Stratospheric Holloway –
On hurdles, Grant Holloway is becoming the undisputed new world benchmark. This winter, in March, he improved the old world record of Briton Colin Jackson over 60 m hurdles which dated from 1994 (7 sec 29 / 100th, against 7 sec 30 / 100th).
EUGENE, OREGON – JUNE 26: Grant Holloway competes in the Men’s 110 Meters Hurdles Semi-Finals on day nine of the 2020 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials at Hayward Field on June 26, 2021 in Eugene, Oregon. Andy Lyons/Getty Images/AFPEUGENE, OREGON – JUNE 26: Grant Holloway competes in the Men’s 110 Meters Hurdles Semi-Finals on day nine of the 2020 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials at Hayward Field on June 26, 2021 in Eugene, Oregon. Andy Lyons/Getty Images/AFP
ANDY LYONS – GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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The 2019 world champion has this time shaken the world record in the 110 m hurdles of his compatriot Aries Merritt dating from 2012.
In the semi-final on Saturday, he failed with his 12 sec 81 / 100th to 1 / 100th of Merritt’s reference time (12 sec 80 / 100th), before getting his visa for Tokyo without difficulty by winning the final with a time of 12 sec 96 100 / e.
American DeAnna Price wins the final of the hammer throw competition with a throw of 80.31m, becoming the 2nd woman in history to throw over 80m, during the Olympic trials on June 26, 2021 in Eugene (Oregon)
Cliff Hawkins – GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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World hammer throw champion DeAnna Price became the second woman in history to cross the 80-meter mark in the discipline, with a throw of 80.31 m on her fifth try of the final.
Only the Polish Anita Wlodarczyk, Olympic champion in 2012 and 2016 and four-time world champion, did better with her world record of 82.98 m.
The joy of the American Ryan Crouser, after breaking the world record in the shot put with a throw at 23.37 m, during the Olympic trials on June 18, 2021 in Eugene, Oregon
Patrick Smith – GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/Archives
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In Tokyo, “Team USA” can also count on other athletes who caused a sensation during these “trials”. Ryan Crouser, with his 23.37 m in the shot put, erased from the shelves the world record held since 1990 by his compatriot Randy Barnes (23.12 m), while Trayvon Bromell in the men and Sha’Carri Richardson (women) promise to be very strong in the 100m.
AFP / Eugene (United States) (AFP) / © 2021 AFP
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