* Hobbs Kessler advanced to the men's semi-final round in the 1,500m
- - -
Seven of 10 days are in the books at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon. High school, collegiate and professional athletes lined up at Hayward Field and began advancing through the rounds and punching their tickets to the Tokyo Olympics.
There are five high school athletes who still have an opportunity to make the team.
In his professional debut with adidas, Hobbs Kessler secured one of the top six spots in his heat to automatically advance to the men's 1500m semi-final round. He won the first of three heats when he crossed the finish line in 3:45.63.
Kessler goes into the semi-final round as the 20th fastest runner. He enters the meet with a lifetime best of 3:34.36, an Olympic A standard which also would have broken the collegiate record and would have won the outdoor NCAA Track and Field Championship title.
In the women's 800m, Roisin Willis of Stevens Point (WI) and Juliette Whittaker of Mount De Sales Academy (MD) are the only two high school athletes who advanced to the semi-finals.
Taking on the first heat of five, Whittaker finished in 2:01.21 to finish third behind Chanelle Price, who had the fastest time of the night. Sage Hurta was second.
In the third heat, one of New Jersey's finest, Ajee Wilson, took the victory with a 2:00.55; Willis finished fourth with a time of 2:01.27.
Whittaker and Willis grabbed the last two spots to move onto the next round. Moses Brown (RI) sophomore Sophia Gorriaran finished 19th overall with a 2:02.26 and did not advance. She was the youngest athlete competing at this year's Trials and turned 16 on June 20.
In the men's 100m, Jaylen Slade, the indoor 200m national record holder, hit the track in the middle of the race. It appears that the IMG Academy (FL) junior lost his footing coming out of his drive phase.
* Jaylen Slade of IMG Academy takes a fall in the men's 100m first round and doesn't advance to the semi-finals
- - -
Slade crouched over on the track in disbelief before slowly getting up and jogging through the line. Although Slade didn't have his best race Saturday, he is scheduled to compete in the first round of the men's 200m.
Erriyon Knighton will look to make his first Olympic team in the same event.
Kessler, Willis and Whittaker will compete in the semi-final rounds, while Slade and Knighton will start the first round of the 200m this evening.
Tamari Davis did not start in the 100m first round and will not advance further in the trials. Paige Sommers of Westlake (CA), who is the outdoor national record holder in the pole vault, no-heighted.
Related Links: