All four Gators competing on Day 1 advanced to their respective qualifying rounds.
EUGENE, Ore. – All four Gators competing during the first day of the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials advanced with automatic qualifications to the semifinals rounds of their respective events Friday inside Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Gator Great Cory McGee, who has held the school record since 2013, finished eighth in the preliminary round of the 1,500 meters with at time of 4:11.86.
Current Gators Talitha Diggs, Taylor Manson and Ryan Willie-fresh off the NCAA Outdoors Track and Field Championships-all advanced in the 400 meters.
Diggs, who finished second in the nation last week, logged a time of 51.74 seconds to place 11th overall and third in the fourth heat. Manson ran in the second round, finishing second in her heat and 16th overall with a time of 52.37 seconds.
Diggs and Manson were two of only five collegians to advance in the women’s 400 meters.
On the men’s side, Willie clocked a time of 45.34 second to finish sixth overall.
The semifinals rounds for all three events are scheduled for Saturday evening with McGee racing at 9:40 p.m. ET, Diggs and Mason at 10:20 p.m. ET and Willie at 10:35 p.m. ET.
In addition to the scheduled semifinal rounds, Gator Greats Jeff Demps (100m) and Will Claye (TJ), along with hurdler Grace Stark (100mH), will begin competition Saturday. See below for a full schedule.
Florida currently has 13 Gators and alumni set to compete at the 10-day event, including reigning
world champion Grant Holloway, American long jump champion Marquis Dendy and school record holder in the long jump (indoors) Claire Bryant, among others.
See below for a complete list of Gators expected to compete at this year’s U.S. Olympic Trials, along with results from Day 1.
The top three finishers in each event, so long as they have the Olympic qualifying standard, will automatically earn spots on Team USA for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. From Friday’s competition, all but Willie have met the Olympic qualifying standard.
The games and the U.S. Olympic Trials were slated to take place last year, but were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Tokyo Games are scheduled to open on July 23.
2020 USATF OLYMPIC TRIALS MEET INFORMATION (all times Eastern)
* Live Results<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__results.usatf.org_&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=rfYetfOqb34DApgb7-XiebnDTdZO98BkZ_LGma-iaUE&s=yf4scrxWTsQNCGsJfTpSLAMDkVU0QNc1dYPfgkJy2V0&e= >
* Venue: Hayward Field (Eugene, Ore.)
* Complete Meet Schedule<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.usatf.org_events_2021_2020-2Du-2Ds-2Dolympic-2Dteam-2Dtrials-2Dtrack-2Dfield_schedule&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=rfYetfOqb34DApgb7-XiebnDTdZO98BkZ_LGma-iaUE&s=vcEfcXDYOS5b-65pzovIgZBxgfderYa9JvtFZ428OhI&e= >
Television Broadcast Schedule
Date
Network
Time
Day 2 – Saturday, June 19
NBC Sports Network
8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Day 2 – Saturday, June 19
NBC
10:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Day 3 – Sunday, June 20
NBC
9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Day 4 – Monday, June 21
NBC Sports Network
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Day 4 – Monday, June 21
NBC
8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Day 7 – Thursday, June 24
NBC Sports Network
9:00 p.m. – Midnight
Day 8 – Friday, June 25
NBC Sports Network
5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Day 9 – Saturday, June 26
NBC
9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Day 10 – Sunday, June 27
NBC
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Day One – Friday, June 18 (All events are 1st Round)
Event
Gators – Time / Mark | Notes
400m (W)
11. Talitha Diggs – 51.74 | Advance to semifinals (automatic)
16. Taylor Manson – 52.37 | Advance to semifinals (automatic)
400m (M)
6. Ryan Willie – 45.34 | Advance to semifinals (automatic)
1,500m (W)
8. Cory McGee – 4:11.86 | Advance to semifinals (automatic)
Day Two – Saturday, June 19
Time
Athlete – Event
8:34 p.m.
Jeff Demps – Men’s 100 meters (1st round)
8:15 p.m.
Will Claye – Men’s Triple Jump (Semifinals)
8:04 p.m.
Grace Stark – Women’s 100-meter Hurdles (1st round)
9:40 p.m.
Cory McGee – Women’s 1,500 meters (Semifinals)
10:20 p.m.
Talitha Diggs, Taylor Manson – Women’s 400 meters (Semifinals)
10:35 p.m.
Ryan Willie – Men’s 400 meters (Semifinals)
Day Three – Sunday, June 20
Time
Athlete – Event
9:03 p.m.
Grace Stark – Women’s 100-meter Hurdles (Semifinals)
9:19 p.m.
Jeff Demps – Men’s 100 meters (Semifinals)
10:06 p.m.
Talitha Diggs, Taylor Manson – Women’s 400 meters (Final)
10:15 p.m.
Ryan Willie – Men’s 400 meters (Final)
10:43 p.m.
Grace Stark – Women’s 100-meter Hurdles (Final)
10:50 p.m.
Jeff Demps – Men’s 100 meters (Final)
Day Four – Monday, June 21
Time
Athlete – Event
7:40 p.m.
Will Claye – Men’s Triple Jump (Final)
8:05 p.m.
Cory McGee – Women’s 1,500 meters (Final)
Day Seven – Thursday, June 24
Time
Athlete – Event
8:45 p.m.
Claire Bryant – Women’s Long Jump (Qualifying)
9:31 p.m.
Kyra Jefferson – Women’s 200 meters (1st round)
10 p.m.
Cory McGee – Women’s 800 meters (1st round)
10:32 p.m.
TJ Holmes – Men’s 400-meter Hurdles (1st Round)
Day Eight – Friday, June 25
Time
Athlete – Event
4 p.m.
Avione Allgood-Whetstone – Women’s Javelin (Qualifying)
4:30 p.m.
Marquis Dendy, Will Claye – Men’s Long Jump (Qualifying)
5:33 p.m.
Grant Holloway – Men’s 110-meter Hurdles (1st Round)
6:02 p.m.
Cory McGee – Women’s 800 meters (Semifinals)
6:18 p.m.
TJ Holmes – Men’s 400-meter Hurdles (Semifinals)
7:25 p.m.
Kyra Jefferson – Women’s 200 meters (Semifinals)
Day Nine – Saturday, June 26
Time
Athlete – Event
6:30 p.m.
Claire Bryant – Women’s Long Jump (Final)
8:30 p.m.
Avione Allgood-Whetstone – Women’s Javelin (Final)
9:03 p.m.
Grant Holloway – Men’s 110-meter Hurdles (Semifinals)
9:35 p.m.
TJ Holmes – Men’s 400-meter Hurdles (Final)
10:24 p.m.
Kyra Jefferson – Women’s 200 meters (Final)
10:51 p.m.
Grant Holloway – Men’s 110-meter Hurdles (Finals)
Day Ten – Sunday, June 27
Time
Athlete – Event
7 p.m.
Marquis Dendy, Will Claye – Men’s Long Jump (Final)
7:52 p.m.
Cory McGee – Women’s 800 meters (Final)
Notes: Bold italics denotes current Gators
QUOTES FROM THE GATORS (Courtesy of USATF Communications)
Cory McGee
On today’s race
I’m coming into today really excited and feeling ready to race. Being in the third heat I knew we had the power to run a little bit faster and qualifying everyone in our heat if we ran fast enough… I don’t like when we get too bunched up because it becomes a bit of a risk.
On it being close race
I knew I had a lot left in the tank… just getting ready for the next round.
On what’s next
Many of us have been dying to be here… it’s just been two year’s worth of work that I’m finally getting to put out there
On the rest of day
We race tomorrow, I’ll just go have a little protein and lay down and have a good dinner and do the same thing tomorrow.
On what clicked today
Confidence, just feeling chill, just being in my zone. And having people I love in the stands just makes a big difference… I’m feeling good, my people are here… Of course, you have to prepare for anything but it’s really just stay out of trouble.
On competition
It’s the best competition I’ve faced so it puts things into perspective.
Taylor Manson
On what she was looking for
Just wanted to get out, been working on that lately. Wanted to finish in a comfortable spot. Got the Big Q.
On if it was comfortable
It was comfortable, put in enough to finish in that big Q spot.
On how she has been training
So much training, offseason training, waking up early. Going to give it my all this weekend.
On the difference between prelims and semis
Making sure I have a strong finish, a faster time. Honestly the same race I had today except faster and make it to the final.
On returning to Hayward
I was here last week for the nationals.
What did you do after NCAAs
I rested, we had practice at LCC, hydrating, recuperating, nothing too crazy.
Ryan Willie
On the race
It went quite smooth. Just how me and my coach intended: Get top 3, make it to the next round. Proceed. Trust the process.
On the plan for the semifinal
Keep qualifying. Drop the times in this event.
On it being his first Olympic Trials
It’s a great feeling, such a wonderful experience. I can’t describe it. Just to watch everybody. Watching, running. Since this is my first year as an NCAA athlete, just to be here is amazing.
On his competition
My confidence is there. I’ve just got to get faster, go faster. And keep going. Besides that, we’re going to be okay.
On his mindset in the semis
Make sure I get out. And build on that last 200. Just finish.
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