It knocked loose one of her running shoes and she had to stop to adjust it, falling hopelessly behind the pack.
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It made McLaughlin the youngest athlete to make the U.S. Olympic track team since 1972.
One thing that figures to benefit the USA track and field team next month: the likely absence of the Russians, who have yet to emerge from a doping cloud that has placed their entire squad on suspension through the Summer Games.
“The slow start to the race kind of put a damper on my racing style”, she said. She suffered an injury this spring after she rolled her right ankle after landing awkwardly on an exercise ball, the AP reports. The former University of OR standout will have about 100 friends and family in attendance to watch her race. One problem was an injured ankle that leads to pain with every step and the other was the death of her beloved Yorkshire Terrier, Chloe.
Runnerup Deajah Stevens will also make her Olympic debut, as will Jenna Prandini, who upset Felix by 100th of a second for third. Afterward, she was scraped up but smiling.
A disappointed Felix – who had already guaranteed her presence in Rio next month by winning the 400m earlier in the meet – blamed a lack of speedwork for her defeat.
Biles, the three-time world gymnastics champion, secured her spot on the U.S. Olympic team with a near flawless tour of the SAP Center on Sunday night, earning an automatic berth on the five-woman team by strolling to the all-around title at the Olympic Trials. “A cool stat is that his first team he made he got second and the second team he won (at the trials); just another step “like father like son”.
Barbara Nwaba won the heptathlon title, scoring 6494 points after 5.86m in the long jump was followed by a throw of 49.19m in the javelin and a 2:11.71 in the 800m on the second day of competition.
Behind the pair, Prandini just held off a strong stretch run from Felix, the 400 victor last weekend.
The country’s most recognizable gymnast made the decision hard because of her struggles on the four-inch beam where she seems to have lost her command.
“There’s always four years from now so I’ll get another shot at it, but not this time” Hall said.
“I’m pretty sure everyone expected to see her on the (200) team”, Bowie said. She did so after having stumbled forward just before the line. On Sunday, she wasn’t going to miss her chance.
Felix is still going to Rio de Janeiro. “I think it was worth the dive, if I would’ve made it”, he said. These kind of races you’ve got to be engaged the whole time. “I’m here just for fun”. No wardrobe malfunction this time.
For what seemed like an eternity Sunday there was a blank spot on the Hayward Field scoreboard where the name of the third-place finisher of the women’s 200 meters should have been. “I was hoping to compete with the top girls a little bit more”. Runner-up Robby Andrews and third-place finisher Ben Blankenship also are headed to Rio. Mariam Kromah will compete for Liberia in Rio in the women’s 400 meters.
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Kynard, who won the silver medal in the high jump at the London Games, won the event with a jump of 7 feet, 6 inches to earn a spot in the Rio Games next month.
