Two Alums Advance In Women's 100
EUGENE, Ore. – Two of the three former UO runners entered in Friday's first round of the women's 100 meters in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials at Hayward Field advanced to Saturday's semifinals.
Former five-time NCAA champion Jenna Prandini finished second in her heat in 11.22 seconds, and 2016 Olympic 4x100 relay gold medalist English Gardner was third in her heat in 11.17 seconds. Each advanced automatically to Saturday's semifinals; Hannah Cunliffe ran in the same heat as Gardner and finished fifth in 11.21 seconds, which did not advance.
Gardner, who is participating in this Trials less than two months after a bout with COVID-19, ran in the same heat as the favorite to win the title in Saturday's evening's event final, Sha'Carri Richardson. She ran 10.84 seconds and was the top qualifier by more than a tenth of a second.
Prandini took second in her heat behind the recently crowned NCAA champion at both 100 and 200 meters, Cambrea Sturgis of North Carolina A&T. Prandini said "the ultimate goal is to survive and advance, get through and get to the semis, and I did that," but said she hopes to be faster at the start in Saturday's semifinals, which begin at 6:03 p.m. The final will then be run at 7:51 p.m.
"I'm really confident in my top-end speed, and closing at the end," Prandini said. "As long as I'm out and within reach, I'm really confident in what I can do at the end."
IN OTHER EVENTS FEATURING DUCKS
4 p.m. – women's discus | qualifying
Who: Kiana Phelps
What: Three throws each; top 12 advance to final (6/19 – 6:42 p.m.)
Result: Less than a week after establishing a new personal best to qualify for this year's U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Phelps couldn't capture the same magic during Friday's preliminary throws. Phelps threw 178 feet, 2 inches in the NCAA West Preliminary on May 29 and did not advance to the NCAA Championships. But she had a fruitful experience last weekend nevertheless, qualifying for the Trials by throwing 192-8 at a meet in Chula Vista, Calif. On Friday, Phelps opened with a throw of 175-6, scratched on her second attempt and managed 174-11 on her third and final attempt.
4:30 p.m. – women's 400 meters | first round
Who: Phyllis Francis
What: Top three in each heat + next four fastest advance to semifinals (6/19 – 7:20 p.m.)
Result: The 2014 NCAA Indoor champion at 400 meters, 2016 Olympic gold medalist in the 4x400 relay and 2017 world champion in the 400 finished fourth in her heat Friday in 51.34 seconds. That season-best performance by Francis didn't earn an automatic qualifying spot into Saturday's semifinals, but she advanced on time.
4:58 p.m. – men's 400 meters | first round
Who: Marcus Chambers
What: Top three in each heat + next four fastest advance to semifinals (6/19 – 7:35 p.m.)
Result: A time of 46.30 in his heat was not fast enough to get the former three-time NCAA Outdoor championships finalist at 400 meters into Saturday's semifinals.
6:15 p.m. – women's triple jump | qualifying
Who: Dominique Ruotolo
What: Three jumps each; top 12 advance to final (6/20 – 5:55 p.m.)
Result: After finishing ninth in the NCAA Outdoor championships last week at Hayward Field, Ruotolo returned to the runway for the Team Trials and finished 13th in Friday's preliminary round. That left her one spot short of qualifying for Sunday's finals. Ruotolo improved throughout her series Friday, from 42-3.25 to 42-6.25 to 42-11.5. Her second jump put her 10th in the standings, but she was 14th before her final attempt and moved up only one spot. The 12th-place finisher in the prelims, and thus the last qualifier to Sunday's final, went 43-1.75.
7:25 p.m. – men's 10,000 meters | final
Who: Eric Jenkins, Galen Rupp
Result: Rupp, who has already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in the marathon, entered Friday's 10k to test his racing legs and took sixth in 27:59.43. Jenkins stepped off the track after 7,200 meters.
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