Day nine of the Olympic Trials began with the heptathlon and through four events, Santa Barbara Track Club member Barbara Nwaba leads with 3903 points.
Her two biggest point tallies came in the 100 meter hurdles and the high jump. For the hurdles she ran a 13.65 second race that gave her the tenth fastest time and 1028 points . She followed up that performance by winning the high jump with a jump of 6 feet, 2 inches — the meet record for the heptathlon.
“I feel like it went great,” Nwaba said to reporters. “I think day two is going to be one of my stronger days.”
Sitting 11 points behind Nwaba is University of Georgia athlete Kendall Williams with 3892 points. Her first place finishes in the 1oo meter hurdles and 200 meter dash propelled her to a solid day. Williams earned 1126 points with her 12.99 second 100 meter hurdle time and 1013 points with her 23.67 second 200 meter time.
Day two of the heptathlon starts at 1:45 tomorrow with the long jump.
The state of Texas will be well represented at the Rio Olympics in the women’s javelin throw. From Texas A&M University, Maggie Malone won the event with a throw of 199 feet, seven inches. From Texas Tech University, Hannah Carson took second with a throw of 190 feet, 11 inches. Joining them in Rio will be Kara Winger who qualified on a throw of 189 feet, 11 inches.
In the men’s triple jump, the top two finishers are regulars at the podium.
After failing to qualify for Rio by one centimeter in the long jump, Will Claye redeemed himself in the triple jump. On his fifth jump, Claye cemented his spot in first with a jump of 57 feet, 11 inches, and he will look to take gold in Rio after taking silver in the 2012 London Olympics.
The man who took gold in London placed second today. Christian Taylor got his best mark on his last jump when he posted a 57 feet, three quarter inch mark. It took Taylor two rounds to find his rhythm, but jumped well when it mattered.
“I’m really grateful for [Claye and Chris Bernard] to push me and wake me up a little,” Taylor said at the press conference. “Once I found a rhythm; once I found the groove I just went with it.”
The veterans have lots of experience, and as seen with Bernard Legat, age is just a number.
“Age plays a role, but at the same time, if you got it, you got it,” Claye said at the press conference.
Bernard placed third with a jump of 65 feet, five and three quarters inches. He qualified for his first Olympics.
Tomorrow is the final day of the Olympic Trials and it begins at 1:45 pm.
Follow Jack Butler on Twitter @Butler917