Trials Day Nine Quick Facts
by Dave Shrock, USATF Pacific President
- Devon Allen became the first collegian to win the 110H at the Trials since Renaldo Nehemiah of Maryland in 1980, and is the first to win both NCAA and Trials titles since 1956 (Lee Calhoun, NC Central). He is the fifth-fastest Trials performer with the eighth-fastest performance. His .18 margin of victory is the largest ever at the Olympic Trials (.14, Allen Johnson – 2000). The difference between third and fourth place is the smallest in Trials history (.02 – 1992/2008).
- Will Claye won the triple jump title with an effort of 17.65m/57-11, the third best performance in Trials history behind Melvin Lister (17.78m in 2004) and Mike Conley (17.68m in 1992).
- Texas A&M’s Maggie Malone followed her NCAA Javelin victory in the same venue with an Olympic Trials win, topping the field by eight-plus feet with her winning throw of 60.84m/199-7. It’s the second best throw in Trials history, just behind the meet record of 61.51m/201-9 set in 2012 by Brittany Borman. Malone, who set the collegiate record in winning the NCAA title, becomes the first javelin thrower to accomplish the double NCAA and OT victory and just the third female thrower to achieve the feat. The other two throwers included UCLA’s Seilala Sua in the discus (2000) and Cal State Hayward’s Maren Seidler in the shot put (1972).
- The American Junior and high school men’s 200m records were set by Noah Lyles in 20.09 today. Lyles’ time broke the previous record of 20.13 set by Roy Martin of Dallas (Texas) Roosevelt in 1985. Another prep, Californian Michael Norman, equaled the third fastest high school time ever in 20.14.
- Attendance today was 22,847, a new Hayward Field record. Previous record was 22,602 on Day 5 of the 2012 Olympic Trials.
- Quote from David Oliver, who scratched from the 110H final: “Devastated I couldn’t run in the final. Hurt left hammy in the semi, but that’s part of the game. Hats off to the great guys we’re sending.”
- Galen Rupp was only the 5th American man to attempt the Olympic Trials 5000m/10,000m/marathon triple: Weldon Johnson (2000), Teddy Mitchell (2000), Josh Rohatinsky (2008), Ryan Vail (2008), Galen Rupp (2016).
Sunday wraps up the 2016 Olympic Team Trials featuring eight finals which will include several Pacific athletes…stay tuned!