UF T&F: Three Gators Greats Advance to Finals, Semifinals at U.S. Olympic Trials

Grant Holloway, Marquis Dendy and Avione Allgood-Whetstone advanced in their respective events at the U.S. Olympic Trials

EUGENE, Ore. – Three Gators Greats advanced in their respective events at the U.S. Olympic Trials Friday evening inside Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Reigning world champion Grant Holloway did not disappoint, winning the 110-meter hurdles. Holloway posted a time of 13.11 seconds to move on to the semifinals round, which is scheduled for Saturday at 9:03 p.m. ET.

The 110-meter hurdles finals will also take place Saturday, starting at 10:51 p.m. ET.

Out on the field, American long jump champion Marquis Dendy also advance after logging a leap of 8.09 meters (26 feet, 6.50 inches) for a third-place finish. The long jump final is scheduled for Sunday at 7 p.m. ET.

Meanwhile Gators Great Avione Allgood-Whetstone moved on to the finals in the javelin. The fifth-best performer in UF history posted a fourth-place finish with a throw of 55.48 meters (182 feet). She will compete for a berth on the USA Olympic Team Saturday at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Freshman Claire Bryant will kick things off Saturday with the women’s long jump finals.  The SEC Women’s Freshman Field Athlete of the Year advanced Thursday with a 12th-place finish and a mark of 6.29 meters (20 feet, 7.75 inches) [+1.4].

See below for a complete list of Gators expected to compete in the remainder of this year’s U.S. Olympic Trials, along with results from Friday.

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.

The games 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=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=D5CqoiJIjlfEpgPF2grA7yCNOGyv_Kmd4ZvCWQkIrbo&s=891KNwLIsg5C8qiiBL7kGgIPGSTRIotiaT1KCMcKm_0&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=DwIFAw&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=D5CqoiJIjlfEpgPF2grA7yCNOGyv_Kmd4ZvCWQkIrbo&s=uC2fBv04I-G8XAugl0rYDNACSCAlAfWjtjMOWD4sLNM&e= >
FLORIDA GATORS TRACK AND FIELD TOKYO OLYMPIANS (USA)
Taylor Manson – 4×400 Relay
Cory McGee – 1,500 meters
Will Claye – Triple Jump

Television Broadcast Schedule

Date

Network

Time

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 Eight – Friday, June 25 (# indicates 1st round, * indicates semifinals)

Event

Gators – Time / Mark | Notes

200m (W)*

12. Kyra Jefferson – 22.75

110mH (M)#

1. Grant Holloway – 13.11 | Advanced to semifinals

400mH (M)*

16. TJ Holmes – 53.98

LJ (M)*

3. Marquis Dendy – 8.09 meters (26 feet, 6.50 inches) | Advanced to finals

24. Will Claye – 7.18 meters (23 feet, 6.75 inches)

JT (W)*

4. Avione Allgood-Whetstone – 55.48 meters (182 feet) | Advanced to finals

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)

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 – Men’s Long Jump (Final)

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 (# indicates 1st round, * indicates semifinals)

Event

Gators – Time / Mark | Notes

100m (M)#

30. Jeff Demps – 10.48 [2.0]

400m (W)*

7. Taylor Manson – 51.11 | Advance to finals (time)

12. Talitha Diggs – 52.04

400m (M)*

9. Ryan Willie – 45.40

1,500m (W)*

2. Cory McGee – 4:05.96 | Advance to finals (automatic)

100mH (W)#

12. Grace Stark – 12.85 [-0.3] | Advance to semifinals (automatic)

TJ (M)*

1. Will Claye – 16.85 meters (55 feet, 3.50 inches) [+0.7] | Advance to finals

Day Three – Sunday, June 20 (# indicates 1st round, * indicates semifinals, all others are final)

Event

Gators – Time / Mark | Notes

400m (W)

7. Taylor Manson – 50.79 | New personal record, third fastest time in school history, Team USA Olympian in the 4×400 relay pool.

100mH (W)*

14. Grace Stark – 12.79 [+1.3]

Day Four – Monday, June 21 (events are final)

Event

Gators – Time / Mark | Notes

1500m (W)

2. Cory McGee – 4:00.67 | Team USA Olympian, first Olympic team, new personal record

TJ (M)

1. Will Claye – 17.21 meters (56 feet, 5.75 inches) [+0.1] | Clinched third Team USA berth

Day Seven – Thursday, June 24 (# indicates 1st round, * indicates semifinals)

Event

Gators – Time / Mark | Notes

200m (W)#

11. Kyra Jefferson – 22.57 |Advanced to semifinals (time), season best

400mH (M)#

10. TJ Holmes – 49.90 | Advanced (automatic), season best

LJ (W)*

12. Claire Bryant – 6.29 meters (20 feet, 7.75 inches) [+1.4] | Advanced to finals

Notes: Bold italics denotes current Gators

QUOTES FROM THE GATORS (Courtesy of USATF Communications)
Grant Holloway
On event…
“Finally able to get the jitters out. The main thing right now is just to go back to the hotel and get some treatment and get ready for tomorrow.”

On setting a quick pace…
“Plan is to come in and execute, it doesn’t matter the time, as long as I’m clean over the tables… the main goal is to win.”

On his prep before the next round…
“Getting off my feet, going back to my normal life, getting out of this ‘Grant Halloway mindset.'”

On if his running résumé helps going into the trials…
“It’s a new year, nobody cares what happened in 2019, nobody cares what happened in 2020. It’s 2021 and we’re all fishing for the same goal.”

On dealing with heat…
“I’m from Florida, we love the heat.”

On Sean Burrell saying he looked up to him…
“I knew Sean when he was on his visit at Florida, I kind of just be myself to him whether that’s motivating him, whether that’s inspiring him, whether that be being a character that he hates… Hearing that I inspire him definitely motivates…”

Avione Allgood-Whetstone
On her event
“A lot of nerves, but you know, just get it done. Surviving events is the goal.”

On her plan
“Just execute what I have been doing in practice. If I do that, I’ll be alright.”

On her preparation
“Just go and try to fine tune the things I wasn’t feeling today. Just relax and go for it tomorrow.”

On what didn’t work today
“Nerves set in so I wasn’t running as fast as I normally do. Just to make sure I’m carrying the speed through my throws.”

On the experience at Trials
“Getting to trials has been kind of tough. I lost my father recently. I have just been trying to stay focused and do everything to make the team. You have to dig down in your emotions and figure it out.”

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