Trial's Stunning End--The Last 2 Days--July 9-10

It's over!
Or is it?
The somewhat experimental United States Track and Field Olympic Trials for the Games of Rio has concluded, and the US team is set---sort of!
I will report what I know---or think I know!---about the status of the team, but the final team list won't be known for a day or two!)
The last 2 days had most of the finals, with all the joy & pain you'd expect when 4 years of your life comes down to just a few seconds or minutes of fierce competition!
So let's get to it!!

Saturday began with the beginning of the Heptathlon, but I'll report on that toward the end, when the 800 was run, so as to keep to my format of following the timeline of the events, in sequence.
Let's go to the Women's Javelin Throw final!

Hannah Carson threw 190-11 in the 2nd round, taking the lead.
This held until round 5, when Kara Winger finally hit her stride, reaching 189-11.
But Maggie Malone, the Collegiate leader this year, whipped it out to 199-7.
Brittany Borman--whom many thought would follow Winger to Rio--reached 185-8 to go into 4th.
Not enough!
The sixth round didn't produce any changes.
Haley Crouser and Audrey Malone finished 10th and 11th, respectively!

The Men's TJ final had some of us worried after the first 2 rounds, as heavily favored World Record threat Christian Taylor couldn't reach 55 feet, and appeared to have a niggle.
Luckily, that turned out to be a false alarm, as seen when he reached 57-0.75 in round 6 to make the team.
He couldn't match the 57-11 produced by Will Claye in round 5, but no matter!
Chris Benard shook up the formcharts a bit, when his 56-5.75 left behind Omar Craddock's 56-3.75 to make the team!
Benard's mark makes him 21st A-T US!
Eric Sloan fouled out!

The Men's 110H semi's was the first track event on Saturday.
Jeff Porter--husband of Brit Tiffany Porter, and brother-in-law to Cindy Ofili--won semi 1 in 13.49, beating Jason Richardson and Aleec Harris.
Not making it to the final was Ryan Wilson!
Ronnie Ash took care of Jarrett Eaton in semi 2, courtesy of a 13.34.
Oregon's Devon Allen, wearing his Duck jersey, ran 13.40, while David Oliver timed 13.46, and Aries Merritt--his kidney donor sister watching from the stands--was 3rd in 13.57.
Oliver was seen rubbing his leg afterward, and he wound up scratching from the final!!

The Women's 200 semi's saw most of the players making it into the final.
Jenna Prandini won the first, her 22.68 edging her Duck friend Ariana Washington's 22.72, while Tiffany Townsend took 3rd with 22.79.
Not making it, but still providing a race-within-a-race, were HS Profeshes Kaylin Whitney and Candace Hill!
And it was close, as the 18 year old Whitney's 23.03 prevailed over the 17 year old Hill's 23.05!!
Deajah Stevens kept the Oregon streak alive, nailing semi 2 in 22.45, well ahead of Harvard's surprise Frosh, Gabrielle Thomas, who ran 22.72.
Joanna Atkins and Morolake Akinosun failed to Q here!
The last semi had the "biggies"--Tori Bowie and Allyson Felix.
And it was no contest, as Bowie's 22.27 smoked the gun shy Felix's 22.57!
Jeneba Tarmoh was far back, but her 22.98 got her in with a time Q.
The stage was set for one of the most anticipated finals of the meet!!

The Men's 5000 final went out slower than most women's races--the entire field reaching the first K in 3:12!!
Then Brian Schrader and Will Kincaid decided to put pedal to metal, and whizzed through a lap in 59-high!
They eventually faded (Kincaid was 8th, while Schrader was 14th!), but at least they weren't on 16:00 pace anymore!!
Nonetheless, the pace was still sluggish enough that the front "group" included almost the entire field!
It was anybody's race--which began with the ringing of the bell.
Bernard Lagat came off the last curve in a dead-out sprint--impressive for one turning 42 in December!--but when he passed Hassan Mead and Paul Chelimo to win it in 13:35.50, his final lap taking just 52.82--it really wasn't that much of a shock!
Eric Jenkins made things a little exciting, as his mad dash almost caught Chelimo.
Jenkins's last 400 was 53.41, but I'd bet his final 60 was worthy of an INdoor sprint!!
Ben True and Ryan Hill---both thought to have good chances to make the team--were 5th and 6th, respectively!
Shadrack Kipchirchir finished 8th, while Galen Rupp was never really in it, and ended in 9th!
Not to fret--he'll be in the Rio 10K and Marathon!!

Oh Baby, that Men's 200 final!!
LaShawn Merritt, the proud owner of a shiny new 19.74 from the heats, vs the much-maligned Justin Gatlin.
Add two incredible HS'ers, and you've got yourself a headline grabber!
Gatlin exploded out the gate, claiming a slight lead at the top of the straight.
But Merritt and the HS kids--Noah Lyles and Michael Norman--were almost even.
Could the unbelievable happen, and a KID beat one or both of the grizzled veterans?
That question was answered--decisively--when the vets hit Overdrive, and demonstrated how Olympians are made!
When Gatlin crossed the line, with Merritt right there, all eyes turned to Lyles and Norman!
But what they saw was Ameer Webb's 20.00 take the Olympic dream away from them!
Still, Lyles's 20.09 in 4th stole the HSR from Roy Martin's 20.13 of 1985.
He also took Martin's Senior Class record, and moved from 4th to 1st on the A-T HS list!
Norman was close behind, and took 5th with his 20.14, a PR by 0.01.
This moved him from 4th A-T HS to 3rd, tied with 1 other!

As for Gatlin, his winning time was 19.75,good enough to give him the Age 34 record, and make him the oldest to run under 19.80, as well as the oldest sub-20!!
Merritt's 19.79 fell 0.05 shy of his recent PR, but was enough to make a 200-400 double in Rio a possibility!!
However, word came today--over Twitter--that he'd decided to drop the 200!
This makes Noah Lyles an Olympian!!
Tyson Gay was never in it, ending in 6th with 20.38, while Kendal Williams also timed 20.38, in 7th!

Ending Saturday's business was the Men's 110H final.
As noted earlier, David Oliver was a DNS.
This left two questions--Could new kidney owner Aries Merritt become a 2-time Olympian?--and Would the Duck's Trial's successes continue behind the name of Devon Allen?
Allen answered the latter query--decisively!!
His football experience giving him a clear lead after one hurdle, he only lengthened it all the way down the track, finally blasting through in 13.03, becoming the 2nd fastest footballer-slash-sprinter in Collegiate history--even if his time isn't eligible for Collegiate records or lists!!--behind only the legendary Renaldo Nehemiah's 13.00!!
He misses the World DDD list by a mere 0.01 seconds!!
He moves from 24th A-T US to 15th, tied with 2 others!

Then the other question was answered!
Ronnie Ash took 2nd, running 13.21.
The blur of two bodies crossed next, but which was ahead?
It was Jeff Porter's 13.21 which doomed the heavily sentimental favorite, Aries Merritt, to only DL's and other lesser meets!!
Merritt was timed in 13.22.
Jason Richardson and Jarrett Eaton were next, followed a bit later by Aleec Harris.

Sunday saw the finish of the grueling Heptathlon--and what a finish it was!!
Like every memorable Multi, it came down to the final event--in this case, the 800 meters!
After the 1st day, Barbara Nwaba had taken the lead from young Kendell Williams, 3903 to 3892.
Three others were in contention--Heather Miller-Koch, Erica Bougard, and the veteran Sharon Day-Monroe!!
Chantae McMillan was also having a good series of events.
Williams had a below-average LJ, falling enough behind that one announcer stated the team was set--and it did NOT include the Georgia Bulldog!!
Bougard had an awful JT, ending any Rio dreams she might have had, while Williams hit a slight PR.
Then came the 800, where it was said Williams needed to stay within 5.5 seconds of the faster trio, all of whom had PR's at least 8 seconds quicker than Williams's 2:17.
They led through 400 in about 62, with the brave Williams not that far behind--maybe 65 or 66.
But she started to fade as they rounded the last curve.
Could she hold on?
She was CLOSE!!
When they all had finished, Williams hid her face from the scoreboard, kneeling on the track.
It took a minute before she was told she'd made it--by 17 points!!
Nwaba's 6494 winner fell just 6 points shy of her PR.
Miller-Koch saw her PR jump by almost 150 points--to 6423 in 2nd.
She moves from 18th A-T US to 10th!!
Williams's 6402 was a PR by 177 points, and led to her rise on the A-T US list from 20th to 11th!
She beat the 6385 that Day-Monroe was able to put together.
McMillan finished strong, her 6326 in 5th a PR by 138 points!!
She moves from 24th to 16th on the A-T US list!
Four others scored more than 6000 points, with Bougard's 6038 giving her 8th!

The heavily-anticipated Women's Pole Vault had much better weather than did the Q round!!
This made for a GREAT competition, which saw 11 women go over at least 14-9, with six of them reaching 15-1 or higher!
The opening height was a strong 14-5.25!!
(I said the OPENING height!!)
The precocious Arkansas Frosh--half of a twin set--Lexi Weeks, cleared on first attempt, as did her pal and training partner, the former Razorback, Sandi Morris, who had just begun vaulting again one week earlier after her pole-breaking accident a few months ago.
They both made 14-9--making it look like half that height--then were joined by the inimitable Jenn Suhr at 15-1, where the trio all cleared cleanly on their first.
They soon had company, with the much improved Morgann LeLeux tying her 2016 PR, and remaining 15th A-T US, tied with 7 others!
Then Katie Nageotte and Megan Clark also sailed over, with Nageotte's 15-1 moving her from 23rd A-T US, tied with 1 other, to 15th, where she's tied with 8 others!!
Among the No-Heights was Mary Saxer!

Suhr, Morris, and Weeks all made 15-3 on their 1st, with Lexi reaching a tiny PR of a quarter-inch!
She was VERY happy--but she was apparently told by her coach in the stands to tamp down her excitement, as her hand gestures indicated!!
She still had more bars to clear!
Morris was in the lead after clearing 15-5 with room to spare.
Suhr sailed over too, but it took her all 3 attempts!!
Weeks missed once, clearing her second PR of the day on 2nd attempt!
The bar went up to 15-7!
Suhr nailed it on first try, as did Morris!!
The amazing teenager (She turns 20 in December, as will sister Tori!) decided to stop, and realizing she'd made the Olympic team, now had clearance to celebrate.
And she did, jumping for joy, crying--all that good stuff!!
BTW, her 15-5 moved her from 10th A-T US to 6th, tied with 1 other!
But how much higher would Morris and Suhr go, and who would win?
After Suhr went over 15-9 on her first, and Morris missed, the snake-lover decided to use her next two attempts at 15-11.
She missed both, and Suhr missed all 3 of her's, so Suhr wound up winning!
Two excited Arkansas gals and the more stoic super-veteran--going to Rio!!

The Men's HJ, despite the presence of the crowd-pleasing Erik Kynard, was fairly dull.
Kynard tried to rev up the crowd, but when your winning height is just 7-6, that's hard to do--although he tried 3 times to clear 7-8.50.
Kyle Landon was 2nd at 7-5, while 3rd placer Brad Adkins could clear just 7-3.
Avion Jones couldn't clear anything!

Then came yet ANOTHER race everyone was waiting for--the Women's 400H!!
With the "favorite", Shamier Little, already out, the main focus landed on 16 year old (soon to be 17!) New Jersey Superstar Sydney McLaughlin, as mature-seeming a teenager as you'll find anywhere!!
But could she handle the pressure of trying to become our youngest Olympian, in a field of Professionals and top Collegians?
At the gun, Delilah Muhammad (a fellow Easterner, from New York!!) took off, making up staggers before the 2nd hurdle!!
McLaughlin was slow to get going, and had a lot of room to make up, possibly worn out by the competitive rounds she'd already run.
When you win all your High School races by a country mile, it's difficult to get used to being BEHIND anyone, let alone 4 or 5 other women!!
But she gathered herself, and quickly moved up, while Muhammad kept on charging ahead!
As she broke the invisable tape after just 52.88 of running, the battle for places was still going on!
And McLaughlin appeared tired.
Ashley Spencer used her 50.28 400 speed to nail 2nd in a PR of 54.02.
McLaughlin held on, shattering her own HSR by 0.31, hitting the line in 54.15.
Kori Carter finished 4th in 54.47, with Cassandra Tate, Autumne Franklin, and Jaide Stepter also going under 55 seconds!

For Muhammad, it's the Meet Record, and makes her 13th A-T World!
She moves from 13th A-T US to 5th!!
Spencer is now 15th A-T US!
McLaughlin, as noted, broke her own HSR, as well as her own Junior Class record, and Age 16 record!!
In fact, her's is the fastest by any female Age 18 or younger.
And she misses the Age 19 standard by just 0.01 seconds!
She is now a full 1.05 seconds ahead of the previous HSR holder, Leslie Maxie!!
Knocked OFF my World DDD (by Muhammad) was Sabine Busch's 53.24, dating from 1987!
Pushed OFF the US list was the venerable Judy Brown-King, who had run 54.23, also in 1987!

I've got 4 more outstanding races to report, and I know this is already rather lengthy, but I've chosen to continue here, rather than begin a new post!!
My apologies, and I hope it's at least an enjoyable torture test!
LOL

Molly Huddle is cute (I have a real hard crush on her!!), and has a GREAT name (BOTH first & last!!).
She is also a BEAST and a MACHINE!!
The field jogged through 1000 meters in 3:11.92.
While not as bad as the Men's first K of their 5000 (See above!), they were at 16:00 pace!
While not dramatic, Molly started leading the train at 72's and 73's instead of 77's.
Still, they were dangerously bunched together, an accident waiting to happen.
Then it did--but it only affected one runner--Nicole Tully.
She was now about 8 seconds behind, and DNF'ed after about 2600 meters!
In this group was the Boise State freshman, Allie Ostrander, whose 1st race back from injury (during INdoor season) was the heats here, where she ran an amazing 15:27 and change!
Also there were Emily Infeld, Abbey D'Agostino, Shelby Houlihan, Katie Mackey, and Kim Conley!
But Huddle kept the reins, and charged along at steady 72's.
Then Ostrander faded, though not horrendously, leaving a pack of 6.
At the bell, Huddle sprinted, finding the finish just 63.23 later!
The speedy Houlihan, who had run a 4:03.39 PR this year over 1500, tried to catch Huddle, but she could only match her 400, her last 400 being 63.89, her final time 15:06.14 to Huddle's 15:05.01.
Conley could manage only 68 for her last go-round, ending 3rd in 15:10.62.
Infeld, already on the 10K team with Huddle, was 4th three seconds behind Conley.
Abbey D was 5th, just behind Infeld.
Marielle Hall, also on the 10K squad, was 7th, just ahead of Ostrander's new PR of 15:24.74.
Jordan Hasay faded to 13th, just ahead of Sara Hall.
Huddle's last 3000 was about 8:53, and her final K at 2:51.

Another fairly lackluster event was the Men's 400H.
Kerron Clement's winning time of 48.50 won't scare anyone.
But excited to finish 2nd was Collegian Byron Robinson, who ran 48.79.
He'd never broken 50 before 2016 began!!
Michael Tinsley took 3rd in 48.82.
Jeshua Anderson was DQ'ed for an unknown reason.

Would the Women's 1500--with a LOADED field--go off like a car with a flat tire, or would they make it honest?
At 67.95 through 400, there was a tiny leak, but the wheels were spinning nonetheless.
When they chugged through 800 just under 2:16, the entire pack was tied together in a knot.
And Brenda Martinez, whose 800 race to Rio was broken apart by a crowded-field stumble at a crucial point, stumbled again--but this time it was minor, and she stayed in the hunt.
Rumor has it that Alexa Efraimson, stuck in a box, elbowed her way to freedom, knocking one runner temporarily to the infield.
But as of a few hours ago, no reports of protests being filed!!
They came through 1100 meters in about 3:04, with Jenny Simpson in front.
Then they sprinted.
Simpson's final lap was a 59.97 blazer, her 4:04.74 holding off the 60.51 lap of Shannon Rowbury, who timed 4:05.39.
Martinez had kicked into 3rd, and appeared ready to claim redemption after the 800 debacle.
But redheaded Amanda Eccleston was imitating Tori Bowie, charging hard, then diving at the line, JUST missing catching Martinez.
They'd both run sub-61's, and ended just 0.03 apart (which seemed like too much!!), 4:06.16 to 4:06.19!!
Martinez was an Olympian!!
Morgan Uceny, who was up front at the bell, couldn't finish as fast, and took 5th, a bit ahead of Efraimson's 4:07.34.
Mary Cain was also near the front with a lap to go, but could manage just 67.70 for her last 400, ending in 11th!
Gabe Grunewald finished last!

Bowie vs Felix.
The Terrific Tori v the Wounded Warrior.
It was decided on the curve.
Bowie rocketed forward, while Felix lagged, with too much ground to make up--especially when not at her best!!
She couldn't win--but could she make the 200 team?  (She'd made the 400 squad already!)
Another Oregon Duck, Teajah Stevens, was close behind Bowie's 22.25, timed in 22.30.
But Felix had a fight on her hands!
Clearly not the 21.69 woman we all love, she was finally caught by yet ANOTHER Duck--a FORMER Duck, that is!--Jenna Prandini.
Just before the line, Prandini stumbled, and appeared to be diving for the line!
But she wasn't--she'd merely stumbled, and started flailing her limbs.
Her contortions delivered her that golden 3rd spot, inches ahead of the smoother finishing Felix.
They were given times a tenth apart, but even that wasn't indicative of how close they were!!
Ariana Washington--Yes, one more Duckie!!--was 5th, while the beautiful Harvard Frosh, Gabrielle Thomas, took 6th.
Jeneba Tarmoh was last.

The last event of this ten day extravaganza was the Men's 1500, and probably the one event where I least expected a Meet Record to fall!!
But it DID!!
(Jordan McNamara had tweeted out requests for the others to help him set an honest pace, as a few of the men needed OG qualifying times, and this would be their last chance to get it!)
They ran the first 400 in a respectable 58, just over Q pace.
When they slowed a bit to a 59--800 of 1:57 and change--things looked bad for those needing a fast time.
With jostling taking place that made the Women's 800 crash site look like an afternoon tea party, the men charged forward as a unit, all of them playing bumper cars.
You could barely see the short man, Leo Manzano, who was in the middle, alongside the taller bearded Ben Blankenship.
When the bell sounded, they were already in full speed mode, with the spunky Matthew Centrowitz leading the way.
Making a 53.95 lap look easy, Centro sped across the line in the Meet Record time of 3:34.09, Steve Scott's 3:35.30 from the misbegotten 1980 Trials now off the books!!
Robby Andrews used his famous kick to garner 2nd in 3:34.88.
Blankenship held off the hard-charging Manzano, who failed to make his first team in about a decade!!
Protests were filed, but after some deliberation, the results were upheld, the appeals denied!!

And the meet was finished.

I will have a "Best & Worst" post up in a day or two.
And believe me, there were PLENTY of bests--and a TON of worsts!!
Hang tight, my friends!!