EUGENE, Ore. – Valarie Allman '17 made her first Olympic team by dominating the women's discus at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials on Saturday at Hayward Field.
But Allman wasn't the only highlight for Stanford. Two current Cardinal advanced to the finals. Julia Heymach, a junior in eligibility this season, will join alum Rebecca Mehra '16 in the women's 1,500-meter final on Monday. Heymach will be the only 2021 collegian in the 12-runner field.
And Keyshawn King, who just completed his sophomore season, qualified for Monday's final in the men's triple jump. He was among six collegians among the 12 to advance.
Keyshawn King. Photo by Chuck Aragon.
Ella Donaghu, Stanford's highest NCAA placer last week (third in the 1,500), was 18th overall, 1.43 seconds from the final qualifying spot in that event. And Liam Christensen, a senior and Stanford's school-record holder in the men's javelin, was 22nd in qualifying and did not advance.
Harrison Williams '18, a member of the U.S. World Championships squad in 2019, is sixth after the first day of the decathlon, with 4,291 points.
Allman became the fifth Stanford track and field alum to claim a spot in Tokyo. She joins Grant Fisher '19 (U.S., men's 10,000), Malindi Elmore '02 (Canada, women's marathon), Jacob Riley '11 (U.S., men's marathon), and Katerina Stefanidi '12 (Greece, women's pole vault).
Allman, holder of the American and Stanford records, so dominated that no one came within 24 feet of her winning throw of 229-5 (69.92m) – the third-farthest throw ever by an American, with Allman responsible for all three. On Saturday, Allman's shortest of five throws would have won by more than 12 feet.
This was the third consecutive U.S. title for Allman, who twice has represented the U.S. at the World Championships.
Julia Heymach. Photo by Chuck Aragon.
Heymach, the Pac-12 5,000 champion who fell just short of the finish line in the NCAA 1,500 semifinals, set a personal best in running 4:09.65 on Saturday and now is No. 3 in school history. Heymach was seventh in her heat, two spots from an automatic spot, but advanced on time. Mehra was fifth in the first heat (4:10.41) to advance on place, with Donaghu ninth in the same race in 4:12.08.
Neither Heymach or Mehra has reached the Olympic standard of 4:04.20, meaning either would not only have to finish among the top three to reach the Olympics, but would have to reach that mark as well.
King cut it close in the triple jump, fouling his first two jumps. With only one to go, he nailed his 52-4 to squeeze into the final qualifying spot by three inches. The Olympic standard is 56-2 ¾ (17.14m).
Williams has two of his best events on the second day, the 110 hurdles and the pole vault. He is only 118 points outside of third place and already has the Olympic standard. Of the five competitors ahead after Day One, only leader Garrett Scantling has the Olympic standard of 8,350.
Ella Donaghu. Photo by Chuck Aragon.
* * *
U.S. Olympic Trials
At Hayward Field
(Results of 2021 Stanford athletes and alumni)
Men
Triple jump qualifying – 12, Keyshawn King (Stanford) 52-4 (15.95m). King advances to final.
Javelin qualifying – 22, Liam Christensen (Stanford) 208-10 (63.66m).
Decathlon (first day) – 6, Harrison Williams '18 (unat.) 4,291.
Harrison Williams (event, place in event, mark, points, place in competition):
First day: 100 – 8.79, 908 (8); Long jump – 5, 24-9 ¼ (7.55m), 947 (4); Shot put – 10, 46-8 ¾ (14.24m), 743 (5); High jump – 10, 6-6 ¼ (1.99m), 794 (6); 400 – 3, 48.21, 899 (6). First-day total: 4,291.
Women
1,500 semifinals – 8, Julia Heymach (Stanford) 4:09.65 (PB; No. 3 Stanford all-time); 12, Rebecca Mehra '16 (Oiselle/Littlewing Athletics) 4:10.41; 18, Ella Donaghu (Stanford) 4:12.08. Heymach, Mehra advance to final.
Discus final – 1, Valarie Allman '17 (ASICS/NYAC) 229-5 (69.92m). Allman makes Olympic team.
* * *
Stanford's Schedule
Sunday
TV: NBC, 6-8 p.m.
12:15 p.m. – Men's decathlon 110 hurdles (Harrison Williams).
1:20 p.m. – Men's decathlon discus (Harrison Williams).
3:45 p.m. – Men's decathlon pole vault (Harrison Williams).
5:15/6:15 p.m. – Men's decathlon javelin (Harrison Williams).
7:23 p.m. – Men's decathlon 1,500 (Harrison Williams).
Monday
TV: NBCSN, 4-5 p.m.; NBC, 5-6 p.m.
4:29 p.m. – Men's 3,000 steeplechase first round (Sean McGorty).
4:40 p.m. – Men's triple jump final (Keyshawn King).
5:05 p.m. – Women's 1,500 final (Julia Heymach, Rebecca Mehra).
5:40 p.m. – Women's 5,000 final (Elise Cranny, Vanessa Fraser).
Thursday
TV: NBCSN, 6-9 p.m.
6:04 p.m. – Men's 1,500 first round (Sean McGorty).
6:31 p.m. – Women's 200 first round (Alexa Rossum).
7 p.m. – Women's 800 first round (Olivia Baker, Rebecca Mehra).
8:04 p.m. – Men's 5,000 first round (Grant Fisher, Sean McGorty, Thomas Ratcliffe).
Friday (June 25)
TV: NBCSN, 2-5 p.m.
1 p.m. – Women's javelin qualifying (Virginia Miller).
(1:35 p.m. PT – British trials, men's 10,000 final (Charles Hicks))
3:02 p.m. – Women's 800 semifinals.
4:05 p.m. – Men's 1,500 semifinals.
4:25 p.m. – Women's 200 semifinals.
4:42 p.m. – Men's 3,000 steeplechase final.
Saturday (June 26)
TV: NBC, 6-8 p.m.
5:30 p.m. – Women's javelin final.
6:44 p.m. – Women's 10,000 final (Sara Bei Hall, Elise Cranny, Vanessa Fraser, Fiona O'Keeffe).
7:24 p.m. – Women's 200 final.
Sunday (June 27)
TV: NBC, 4-5:30 p.m.
4:30 p.m. – Men's 5,000 final.
4:52 p.m. – Women's 800 final.
5:10 p.m. – Men's 1,500 final.