Two Ducks will be flying down to Rio de Janeiro to compete in the women’s 200 meter dash at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Oregon sophomore Deajah Stevens and former Duck star Jenna Prandini both passed the finish line in time to make the team, but in opposite fashions.
Stevens crossed the finish line comfortably in second with a time of 22.30 seconds.
“I knew when I saw her come off that turn I was like, ‘man she is going to make it,’” Stevens’ Oregon teammate Ariana Washington told reporters. “I have not been more proud of someone in my whole life.”
Steven’s entered the final race with the fourth-best qualifying time, one spot behind Washington.
Her start was phenomenal, but a strong turn allowed her to separate from most of the field.
“I had nothing to lose. I just had to go for it,” Stevens said. “I knew if I panicked it would not have turned out well. A couple meters from the line I was like, ‘am I going to make this?’ I was like, ‘I can’t believe this.’”
As she crossed the finish line, Washington was the first to congratulate her.
“[Ariana] said, ‘I love you and I am proud of you,’” Stevens said. “If she would have made it I would have been proud of her. That is just the type of friendship we have.”
With the qualification, Stevens became the first active female member of the Oregon track and field program to make the Olympics.
Prandini qualified in a more dramatic fashion. As she neared the finish line, three time Olympian Allyson Felix closed in on her. With the two runners in a dead tie, Prandini leaned, and tumbled her way across the finish line.
“It was not something that I intentionally did,” Prandini said at the press conference. “I was just hoping that that was enough to get me on the team.”
After the top two times appeared on board, there was a pause before the third place time appeared. It felt like an eternity. It felt longer than the race itself, but eventually Prandini’s name was fixed next to a time of 22.53. Felix had a time of 22.54.
“I don’t know if I can even remember the last ten meters,” Prandini said at the press conference. “[The wait] felt like a really, really long time and when the time finally flashed on the board it was just a big relief. I was overwhelmed with excitement.”
Prandini is no stranger to success, During her time at Oregon, she was victorious at the NCAA Championships in the 100 meter dash and the long jump in back-to-back years. Competing professionally she won the 2015 200 meter U.S. Championship.
Despite all those trips to the top of the podium, Prandini stated that third at the Olympic Trials was more satisfying because she can call herself an Olympian.
The usually dominant Felix was so close to qualifying in Rio in the 200 meter, and an ankle injury that occurred earlier this year may have made the difference.
“I think it was just a lack of speed work,” Felix told reporters. “I could only do what I could with the ankle, and I think, unfortunately, that is what suffered. I gave it all I had today.”
Felix will be making the trip to Rio for the 400. She qualified with a time 49.68 which is the fastest time run this year.
Tori Bowie won the 200 with a time of 22.25. She also qualified for Rio in the 100 meter dash and said she will be running both.
The Oregon Track and Field program’s strength has always been its ability to produce top distance runners, but the distance runners may have to pass the torch to the women’s sprints.
In the 100 meters, former Oregon Duck English Gardner took first at these trials by running a 10.74. Prandini and Washington were also in that race, placing sixth and seventh, respectively. Prandini is in 4×100 meter relay consideration for the Olympics as well. 
Having three athletes in each final and sending three of them to Rio is an impressive feat, so what is in the water?
“First, the coaching at Oregon is incredible,” Prandini said. “You have got to give props to [sprinting coach] Curtis [Taylor] and [head] coach [Robert] Johnson for recruiting us and nurturing us and getting us here. We trust them and know that they’re going to do right by us.”
Follow Jack Butler on Twitter @Butler917