EUGENE, Ore. — The two primary athletic passions of the everyday Oregonian are track and University of Oregon football, which explains why Devon Allen stands as one of the favorite sons at this week’s U.S. Olympic trials.
For most of the year, Allen stars as one of Oregon’s wide receivers; he was a breakout contributor as a freshman, helping the Ducks reach the national championship game, before a lingering knee injury stymied his sophomore season.
He’s obviously back at full strength at the trials. Allen ran a 13.44 in the event’s qualifying heats, good for third among all hurdlers, easily moving into Saturday’s semifinals to the crowd’s roaring approval.
“The fans are great here,” he said. “You get that extra cheering. The fans get behind you — it’s really fun.”
The time was a solid opener (his best is 13.16). “I felt good,” he said.
“I’m definitely going to go out there and try to win every heat. I felt relaxed. But I can definitely run faster.”
Allen trailed Ronnie Ash (13.39), who ran the world’s fifth-fastest time this season in early June, and Jason Richardson (13.41).
With the exception of Ryan Fontenot, who ran a season-best 13.48 last month but failed to advance through his heat, there were no surprises: Aleec Harris, Aries Merritt and David Oliver moved into the semifinals, with Oliver — who owns the fastest time by any American in the event in 2016 — perhaps the USA’s strongest medal contender should he reach the Rio Games.
“As long as you advance it doesn’t matter what place you get,” Allen said. “You know, top three puts you on the team. So I’m running to win, but I’m also staying relaxed and under control. I don’t want to press.”
Merritt, the world recordholder and reigning Olympic champ, is back to top-level competition after having a kidney transplant, donated by his sister, last year.
Also Friday:
►Evan Jager earned his fifth consecutive U.S. title in the 3000 steeplechase and will once again challenge the Kenyans and Ethiopians if he hopes to claim a medal in Rio. The last American steeplechase gold medal came in 1952; the last medal was in 1984. Hillary Bor and Donn Cabral finished second and third.
►There were fireworks in the men's 200 semifinals. First, two 18-year-olds, Michael Norman (20.21) of Murrieta, Calif., and Noah Lyles (20.26) of Alexandria, Va., won their semifinal heats, with Norman holding off Justin Gatlin in the stretch. But LaShawn Merritt stole the youngsters' thunder with a smooth 19.74 in his race, the fastest time in the world this year. Ameer Web and Tyson Gay also advanced to the final. “Don’t mean to brag, but we’re pretty extraordinary,” Lyle said. Lost in the buzz was the fact that three longtime mainstays of the U.S. sprint team — Mike Rodgers, Wallace Spearmon and Walter Dix — all failed to advance.
►Five days after winning the 400 meters, one half of her hoped-for double, Allyson Felix was back on the track in the 200. Though still getting fully healthy after injuring her right ankle in May, she had no trouble advancing into Saturday's second round with a smooth, relatively easy victory in the second heat. She was the fifth-fastest qualifier overall. Two youngsters, 17-year-old Candace Hill and 18-year-old Kaylin Whitney, also earned their way into the semifinals.
►The first thing most observers noticed about men's 1500 semifinals, besides the pouring rain, was the inequality of the two sections: Most of the big names ended up in the second heat, purely as a result of qualifying times and luck of the draw as determined by the computer. No matter, the top names all advanced, including world indoor champion Matt Centrowitz, 2012 Olympic silver medalist Leo Manzano and Robby Andrews.
►Another example of how difficult making the team is in the USA: NCAA champ, world leader and 2015 world championships silver medalist Shamier Little did not survive the semifinals in the 400 hurdles. Among the runners advancing: 16-year-old Sydney McLaughlin of Union Catholic High in Scotch Plains, N.J., has the No. 2 time in 55.23; Dalilah Muhammad (54.14) was the top qualifier.
►All the favorites moved on in the women's 1500, including Jenny Simpson, Shannon Rowbury, Brenda Martinez, Alexa Efraimson and Mary Cain.
►Michael Tinsley and Johnny Dutch led the qualifiers into the men's 400 hurdles final Sunday.
►Former University of Wyoming All-American Mason Finely won the discus. Finley, who said he’s dropped 87 pounds in the past couple of years, won with a throw of 208 feet, 1 inch. Finley lives and trains in Lawrence, Kansas. Travis Bailey was second with a throw of 202-0 and Andrew Evans was third with a throw of 200-10.
►Favorites Jenn Suhr and Sandi Morris each advanced to the final of the women's pole vault, and each — both are dealing with slight injuries — managed it with a minimum of stress. Morris needed two jumps, missing on her first try at 14 feet, 5 1/4 inches before clearing on the second. Suhr needed only one jump, at 14-9.
