Sunday provided one last opportunity for athletes to claim their spot on Team USA across 11 finals.
The 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials for Track and Field concluded in style after 10 days. Day 10 was highlighted by six broken meet records across competitions. Several athletes qualified for their first Olympic games, while others are set to represent the U.S. once again.
Men’s Hammer Throw Final | 2:50 p.m.
Daniel Haugh took first place in the hammer throw with a best throw of 79.51 meters, and earned himself his place on the Olympic team. Haugh will be joined by second-place finisher Rudy Winkler who had a best throw of 78.89 meters. Third-place finisher Justin Stafford had a best throw of 77.07 meters, but did not meet the Olympic standard.
What Haugh had to say:
“There’s power in being able to show up every day. And if you can compound the technique, compound your work without having to take breaks because you’re injured, you can have special moments… 2022 is where I threw my PR of 80.18, I’ve eclipsed all those numbers in training and not by a small margin, by a lot. 79.50 is a great throw on a day like today where there’s a lot of pressure, but I know there’s so much more in there. Training is honestly pretty close to that 79.50, so I know there’s a huge throw in there and we’ve got four weeks to get it out.”
Women’s Pole Vault Final | 3:15 p.m.
Bridget Williams clinched the top spot in the event with her 4.73-meter clearance. The reigning gold medalist Katie Moon also claimed a top-three finish in the pole vault to head to another Olympics.
Brynn King elected not to take her attempts at 4.63 and 4.68 meters. She not only leaped into the top three with her clearance of 4.73 meters, but she secured the Olympic standard to qualify for Team USA.
What Moon had to say:
“This meet is so stressful…There is nothing like this meet. It is the most stressful, it’s the most daunting and you just kind of have to get through. It’s not the mentality you love to have, but that’s just the reality. It’s so stressful. I was so relieved. I was so elated. I think after sitting for a minute, going for that next bar, the wind just came out of my sails at that point”
Men’s High Jump Final | 3:30 p.m.
Shelby McEwen secured his spot on Team USA and first in the trials by clearing the bar at 2.30 meters. University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Caleb Snowden finished in second with a personal best and University of Nebraska’s Tyus Wilson rounded out the top three. JuVaughn Harrison was fourth in the competition but has the Olympic qualifying standard, whereas Snowden and Harrison don’t.
What McEwen had to say:
“I feel like being a vet in the field at the high jump in the U.S., still young, it’s a journey. I’m just blessed to be in this position. I’m ready to go back to another Olympic games and represent for the men’s high jump in Paris.”
Men’s Triple Jump Final | 3:55 p.m.
Salif Mane won the event with a personal best jump of 17.52 meters, qualifying him for a spot in the Olympics. Second-place finisher Russell Robinson had a best jump of 17.01 meters but fell short of the distance needed to meet the Olympic standard. His ranking puts him on the bubble of qualification. Third-place finisher Donald Scott qualified for the Olympics and had a best jump of 16.87 meters in the finals.
Women’s Javelin Final | 4:10 p.m.
Maggie Malone Hardin won the event with a meet-record throw of 64.58 meters to secure her place on the Olympic team. Second and third-place finishers Kara Winger and Madison Wiltrout had throws of 62.94 meters and 61.17 meters, respectively, but both failed to reach the Olympic standard.
What Malone Hardin had to say:
“I could not believe I threw over 64. I told Kara this, I don’t throw 64 if she’s not here. She elevates the field. Every time she comes in somewhere, she elevates this field. I thought it would take 65 meters to win because I was like, ‘She’s throwing 64 meters.’ I just feel really grateful that I was able to do that.”
Men’s 5000m Final | 4:30 p.m.
Grant Fisher has now qualified for Team USA in both the 5000 meters and the 10,000 meters. Fisher and Abdihamid Nur battled for first place until the very end. Fisher secured the meet record of 13:08.85. University of North Carolina’s Parker Wolfe came in third but doesn’t have the Olympic qualifying standard. Graham Banks was the fourth-place finisher.
Men’s 800m Final | 4:51 p.m.
Bryce Hoppel won the event by setting a new personal best and meet record with his time of 1:42.77 to secure the gold medal and his spot at the Olympics. He was joined on the Olympic team by Hobbs Kessler and Brandon Miller who finished second and third in the event with times of 1:43.64 and 1:43.97, respectively.
What Kessler had to say on his plan going into the 800m:
“I’m just not powerful enough to get out the first 100 meters hard, so I’m always going to be behind. I’ll always be in last going into 200. It bunched up, so for a second I thought I was going the back on the rail and move up, but then I kind of felt it slow a little bit so I decided to go wide and work my way up to the front. Then, just got on Bryce’s shoulder, hung there for a little bit…Coming around the bend, trying to get my legs moving fast, go as hot as I could. I knew I was in position to be on the team, so try not to let anyone pass me.”
Women’s 100m Hurdles Final | 5:00 p.m.
It was a tightly contested 100-meter hurdles competition, with all nine athletes coming in with the Olympic standard. Masai Russell broke the meet record — which is also the world lead — with her 12.25-second time. It was the fourth meet record of the final day.
Alaysha Johnson and Grace Stark were the other two finalists to qualify for the Olympics. They both ran personal bests.
What Russell had to say:
“It’s been a roller coaster. I just ran 12.8 a couple of weeks ago and now I’m talking about breaking the Olympic Trials meet record. It just shows I’m capable — I feel like — of breaking the world record. I believe that I can, respectfully, touch the world record. I don’t know when. I don’t know where. I don’t know if it’s going to be this year, next year or even by the time I’m 28. I’m only 24 years old and I’m not at my peak yet.”
Women’s 1500m Final | 5:09 p.m.
Nikki Hiltz was emotional when they crossed the finish line with a time of 3:55.33. It was a personal best — and the fifth meet record of day 10. Emily McKay claimed her spot on the 1500-meter team with a second-place finish. Elle St. Pierre also snagged a spot in a second event for the Olympians. She qualified for the 5000 meters as well if she decides to compete in both in Paris.
What Hiltz had to say:
“Each year has built on the other. I’ve been at this stadium and I was last at the last Olympic Trials final. I’ve done so much work since then, so much mental work and, obviously, physical work too. I think it’s just a journey. To anyone who didn’t make the team — you’re young and it’s fine. You have so many years in front of you. You have to keep learning and growing and building and not give up because your moment is coming.”
Men’s 400m Hurdles Final | 5:20 p.m.
Rai Benjamin set the world leading time, and a meet record, with his 46.46-second race. His performance secured a spot in Paris on the Olympic team. He will be joined by CJ Allen and Trevor Bassitt who both set season bests with times of 47.81 and 47.82 seconds respectively.
Women’s 400m Hurdles Final | 5:29 p.m.
Six meet records on Sunday weren’t enough — and neither was a first-place finish in the Olympic Trials for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
The final event at Hayward after 10 days of stellar competition ended in a world record-breaking performance by McLaughlin-Levrone. She broke her own record that she claimed at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene.
McLaughlin-Levrone’s 50.65-second time was followed by personal bests from Anna Cockrell and Jasmine Jones to join her on the 400-meter hurdles team.
What McLaughlin-Levrone had to say:
“I know when it first came up it said 50.67 and I was like, ‘There’s just no way.’ Honestly, I wasn’t expecting that time…It’s just super encouraging to see that without expecting it, knowing there is more there.”
What’s next:
The 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials for Track and Field have concluded at Hayward Field. Athletes who finished in the top three in their events but didn’t have the Olympic qualifying standard will find out in the coming days whether or not their rankings are high enough for the Olympics. The national championships and World Rankings will be finalized on July 7. The 2024 Paris Olympics are set to begin on July 26.
