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Former Buffs Closing Out USATF Trials

Jun 26, 2021

EUGENE –  Colorado track and field athletes begin to close out the 2020 USATF Olympic Trials with four women finishing up competition here Friday and Saturday in three different events.
 
Saturday morning in blistering hot conditions former Buffs Makena Morley and Carrie Verdon finished up their trials competition in the finals of the women's 10,000-meters. Battling 85 degree with high humidity and hotter temperatures track side, Morley finished 19th overall in 33:02.87 while Verdon finished 27th in 33:18.61. Verdon also competed in the two rounds of the women's 5,000, the only Buff to run in three races this week. The race was won by New Balance athlete Emily Sisson in a meet record of 31:03.82 as she strung out the field and won by a decisive 13 seconds.
 
Friday saw two newly graduated Buffs as Sage Hurta ran in the semis of the women's 800 and Eriana Henderson competed in the first round of the 400 hurdles. Hurta was in fifth in her heat seeking a top-three finish or next two fastest times when she clipped the heels of Hanna Green who moved in on Hurta to close her out in the final 80 meters. Hurta took a devastating crash after clipping Green's heel, resulting in a broken wrist and a broken Olympic dream. Despite the cutoff, Green successfully protested her way into the finals as she was a tenth of a second from the final time qualifier.
 
Henderson, who did not know she was competing at the Olympic Trials until Tuesday, came out of her brief retirement and competed admirably. Up against World Record Holder Dalilah Muhammad, Henderson finished sixth in her heat in 58.55 seconds for 22nd overall at the trials.
 
Due to anticipated record high temperatures reaching 102 and 112 degrees Saturday and Sunday, the women's 10k and the men's 5k finals were both moved to 11 a.m. MT. Colorado has one more athlete competing as Eduardo Herrera earned the final time qualifier in the men's 5,000 and will compete Sunday morning. Former Buff and now Olympian Joe Klecker opted out of the 5,000 after earning his spot of Team USA in the men's 10,000 with a third-place finish.
 
CU track will have at least four alums heading to Tokyo at the end of July with Morgan Pearson qualifying first in the men's triathlon, followed in order by Klecker in the 10,000 and Emma Coburn and Val Constien in the women's steeplechase.
 

DATE DAY TIME (MT) EVENT ROUND ATHLETE QUALIFYING MARK SEASON BEST PERSONAL BEST USA RANKING BROADCAST PLACE RESULT
18-Jun Friday 5:03 PM Women's 1,500 1st Round Jenny Simpson 3:58.42 4:06.18 3:57.22 2nd NBCSN 1st Q 4:11.34
Dani Jones 4:04.26 4:04.26 4:04.26 10th NBCSN 16th Q 4:13.47
Micaela Degenero 4:09.38 4:09.38 4:09.38 24th NBCSN 26th 4:18.33
6:54 PM Women's 5,000 1st Round Jenny Simpson 14:58.67 N/A 14:56.26 8th NBCSN DNS DNS
Carrie Verdon 15:18.56 15:18.56 15:18.56 21st NBCSN 9th Q 15:32.87
Maddie Alm 15:19.03 15:19.03 15:19.03 24th NBCSN 3rd Q 15:31.43
8:25 PM Men's 10,000 Final Joe Klecker 27:23.44 27:23.44 27:23.44 7th NBC 3rd 27:54.90
19-Jun Saturday 7:40 PM Women's 1,500 Semifinals Jenny Simpson 3:58.42 4:06.18 3:57.22 2nd NBCSN 5th Q 4:06.81
Dani Jones 4:04.26 4:04.26 4:04.26 10th NBCSN 9th Q 4:09.92
20-Jun Sunday 7:35 PM Women's Steeplechase 1st Round Emma Coburn 9:02.35 9:08.22 9:02.35 1st 1st Q 9:21.32
Val Constien 9:25.53 9:25.53 9:25.53 4th 6th Q 9:28.37
Sara Vaughn 9:38.52 9:38.52 9:38.52 16th 18th 9:51.12
Madie Boreman 9:48.09 9:48.09 9:46.48 32nd 21st 9:56.63
21-Jun Monday 6:05 PM Women's 1,500 Final Jenny Simpson 3:58.42 4:06.18 3:57.22 2nd NBC 10th 4:07.76
Dani Jones 4:04.26 4:04.26 4:04.26 10th NBC 9th 4:06.46
6:40 PM Women's 5,000 Final Carrie Verdon 15:18.56 15:18.56 15:18.56 21st NBC 10th 15:54.04
Maddie Alm 15:19.03 15:19.03 15:19.03 24th NBC 12th 15:58.40
24-Jun Thursday 8:00 PM Women's 800 1st Round Sage Hurta 2:00.62 2:00.62 2:00.62 18th NBCSN 2nd Q 2:00.08
9:04 PM Men's 5,000 1st Round Eduardo Herrera 13:24.46 13:24.46 13:24.46 24th NBCSN 16th q 13:45.33
9:47 PM Women's Steeplechase Final Emma Coburn 9:02.35 9:08.22 9:02.35 1st NBCSN 1st 9:09.41
Val Constien 9:25.53 9:25.53 9:25.53 4th NBCSN 3rd 9:18.34
25-Jun Friday 4:02 PM Women's 800 Semifinals Sage Hurta 2:00.62 2:00.62 2:00.62 18th NBCSN DNF DNF
4:35 PM Women's 400 Hurdles 1st Round Eriana Henderson 57.69 57.69 57.67 24th NBCSN 22nd 58.55
26-Jun Saturday 11:00 AM Women's 10,000 Final Makena Morley 31:25.19 31:25.19 31:25.19 13th OLYMPIC 19th 33:02.87
Carrie Verdon 32:09.82 32:09.82 32:09.82 31st OLYMPIC 27th 33:18.61
27-Jun Sunday 11:00 AM Men's 5,000 Final Eduardo Herrera 13:24.46 13:24.46 13:24.46 24th OLYMPIC