There were 18 athletes named Olympians on the fourth day of trials
This is what the Track & Field world was desperate to see.
For a sport that often struggles to draw national attention and doesn’t lend itself to many show-stopping events over an annual grind, this week’s Track & Field Olympic qualifiers provided a much-needed shot in the arm for the Track & Field world as a whole.
From Snoop Dogg’s appearance earlier this week to 16-year-old Quincy Wilson making history a few days later, the first slate of qualifiers brought nothing short of the utmost excitement to the trials.
Day five of the trials concluded the first-week tournament and brought many memorable moments.
From three-time World Champion Grant Holloway dusting the competition in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, to Cole Hocker’s final lap heroics, which set a new meet record in the men’s 1500 meters.
The result, however, was just as memorable as the scene that surrounded it — a packed Hayward Field celebrating in unison with each champion.
And if the previous three days of competition were a tense, tactical marathon of athleticism, Monday offered even more power-packed prize fights — including two meet records — the Track & Field community was hoping to see this week.
Monday’s events featured the women’s heptathlon as well as high jump, long jump, 1500 meters, 400 meters, 5000 meters and 800 meter finals, respectively. The trials will now take a two-day break after — for some — four days of competition and preparation, allowing a practice day for the athletes competing over the final weekend of competition.
Women’s Heptathlon
Heptathlon Long Jump
Timara Chapman took first place in the event with a jump of 6.34 meters, setting a new personal best. However, it was second-place finisher Taliyah Brooks, who recorded a jump of 6.29 meters, that jumped into first place on the overall leaderboard. Anna Hall, who finished fifth in the event, dropped to second place.
Heptathlon Javelin Throw
Ashtin Zamzow-Mahler had a throw of 49.30 meters to win the event. Hall finished third in the event with a throw of 45.57 meters to take first place in the overall leaderboard with 5,566 total points after the morning events. However, Chari Hawkins pulled within six points in the event after throwing three-straight personal bests in the javelin, culminating in a 49.28-meter throw that gave her second place in the event and 5,560 total points.
Heptathlon 800m
Hall secured her win in the heptathlon by running a 2:04.39 800 meter race. She also secured her spot at the Olympics with the performance. Hawkins and Taliyah Brooks, who finished seventh and fourth in the 800 meter respectively, took the next two spots and will join Hall in Paris.
Women’s Discus Throw Qualifiers | 5:00 p.m.
Valarie Allman earned a decisive victory in the discus with a meet record 70.89 meter throw. She beat Jayda Ulrich, the second place finisher, by over seven meters to clinch her place in the finals. The difference between Allman and Ulrich was greater than the difference between Ulrich and the 12th place finisher and final qualifier.
What to watch next:
The finals for discus are on Thursday at 4:50 p.m.
Men’s 110m Hurdles Round 1 | 5:05 p.m.
Grant Holloway led a group of 27 runners who qualified for the semifinals of the 110 meter hurdles. Holloway ran a 12.92 second race, the fastest mark any runner in the world has recorded this season.
What Holloway had to say:
“As we know in Track & Field it doesn’t matter what you did last year or two years ago, it’s about how you are doing it now.”
What to watch next:
The 26-year-old will have the opportunity to translate his skills yet again in the semifinals Thursday at 5:01 p.m. Finals for the event are on Friday at 7:50 p.m.
Women’s High Jump Finals | 5:15 p.m.
It was the University of Kentucky Wildcat Charity Hufnagel who had a personal-best clearance of 1.94 meters to become the Olympic Trials champion. University of Arkansas Razorback Rachel Glenn joined Hufnagel, clearing 1.94 meters on her third attempt.
Vashti Cunningham and Jenna Rogers had a “jump off” to determine who the third Olympian would be. Ultimately, Cunningham cleared to book her spot to Paris.
Men’s Long Jump Finals | 5:25 p.m.
The Florida State University jumper, Jeremiah Davis, won the event with his third jump of 8.20 meters. University of Florida’s Malcom Clemons qualified for Team USA with his sixth and final jump. Jarrion Lawson’s last jump was also his best attempt to make the Olympic team.
Men’s 1500 m Final | 5:47 p.m.
Hocker — former Oregon NCAA Champion — set the Hayward crowd on its feet as he pulled ahead of Yared Nuguse in the final 200 meters. Nuguse is the highest ranked American by World Athletics this year and was the favorite to come in first. Instead, Hocker set a meet record of 3:30.59.
Nuguse joined Hocker alongside Hobbs Kessler as the three prepared to go to Paris.
What Hocker had to say:
“I’ve never been to accelerate at that pace before…I’ve played that race a thousand times in my head, for it to finally happen like that was incredible.”
What Nuguse had to say:
“3:30 is pretty close to my personal record. I’m still in a really good position with my fitness, even if I got second today.”
What Kessler had to say on being an Olympian:
“It feels amazing, I can’t wait to go celebrate with my friends and family… there’s been a weight on me since I turned pro, this was the race that we had all been looking to. There’s a lot of pressure, and I’m proud of how I managed it.”
Women’s 3000m Steeplechase Round 1 | 5:59 p.m.
Gabbi Jennings finished first in the round to lead a group of 14 runners who made the final. Jennings ran a time of 9:23.88, beating all other runners by almost three seconds.
What to watch next:
The women’s 3000-meter steeplechase final is set to begin at 7:18 p.m. on Thursday.
Men’s 400m Finals | 6:59 p.m.
Quincy Hall took first place in the race with a time of 44.17, a new personal best. Michael Norman and Chris Bailey finished second and third, respectively, to round out the Olympic team.
The 16-year-old phenom Quincy Wilson accelerated down the final stretch to finish in sixth, but won’t make Team USA just yet. He’ll only be 20 years old by the time of the 2028 Olympics.
Women’s 5000m Finals | 7:09 p.m.
The 5000-meter final was nothing short of entertaining. A meet record was set for the second time on Monday. Two-time Olympian Elle St. Pierre took first, but any of the top three finishers would have had the record.
Parker Valby — who was named one of three finalists for the Bowerman Award on Monday morning — led until the final three laps. It ended up a two-woman race between St. Pierre and Elise Cranny. Karissa Schweizer took third with Cranny in second.
Women’s 800m Finals | 7:32 p.m.
Favorite Athing Mu fell roughly 200 meters into the race, ending her chance to defend her gold medal early. Nia Akins set a personal best with a time of 1:57.36. She will be joined in Paris by Allie Wilson and Stanford University Cardinal Juliette Whittaker.
What to watch next:
The Olympic Trials take a two-day break but return to Hayward on Thursday. The first round of the men’s 800 meters is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. to begin the second half of the trials.
Continue following The Daily Emerald’s coverage of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials for track and field on X, @lilycrane23 and @JoeMoore_21.
