Talent overrides age at the Olympic Trials

 

By Ka'Deem Wynny for DyeStat

 

Making an Olympic team is a lifetime milestone, something that stays with individuals for the rest of their lives. The pre-competition anxiety, the rush during the final, and the indescribable flood of emotions after qualifying ─ it's a dream come true and all part of the Olympic experience. 

 

You go in with the expectation of competing at the pinnacle shape of your career, but never a guarantee that at the end of it all you’ll be representing the Red, White, and Blue. You figure that the Olympics are for the pros, the elite, the seasoned veterans, but it’s not.

 

The Olympics are for the best of the best. Sometimes, it comes in the form of a younger generation. Never judge a book by its cover.

 

Sydney McLaughlin, (16), Vashti Cunningham (18), Alexis “Lexi” Weeks (19), Ariana Washington (19), Keturah Orji (20), Deajah Stevens (21), Raven Saunders (21),   Devon Allen (21) and Kendell Williams (21), Trayvon Bromell (21), Shelbi Vaughan (21),  Clayton Murphy (21) and Byron Robinson (21), have punched their ticket to the 2016 Rio Olympics after competing at the US Olympic Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. They represent the next generation of Team USA.

 

This young group of athletes, all of whom aren't even 22 years old, have proven that chasing down a dream isn't just a figure of speech ─ it's a literal action and one that's been rehearsed for many years. 

 

This is their Olympic debut.

 

Sydney McLaughlin 

The youngest out of the bunch, like many, she had a choice: sit back and let the others take it all, or go out and make a statement. She chose to make a statement. After gracefully powering her way through the preliminary rounds of the women's 400-meter hurdles, the Union Catholic NJ junior ran the race of her life, charging with 100 to go to grab the third and final spot for Team USA, taking down her own high school national record and the world junior record in the process (54.15). She is now the sixth-fastest woman in the world, and will be the youngest Olympian to compete since 1972.

 

Before the race, McLaughlin faced self doubt, unsure of her ability to execute her race as she wanted to, which she discussed in the post-race press conference, which was echoed by her coach, Mike McCabe in an interview with DyeStat.

 

Trusting her training is something that’s proved vital in her final execution and will be a very key factor in her Olympic performance. She’s only 16 years old (turning 17 on August 7), and nerves will come as it comes to even the best athletes have gotten cold feet. What makes them who they are is what they do when that happens, and if McLaughlin can do that, she could do something special. If a medal isn’t in the cards this year, there’s no doubt that it will be in 2020.

 

Vashti Cunningham

The daughter of retired NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham, niece of retired NFL fullback Sam Cunningham, Vashti Cunningham isn’t living off of the family name ─ she’s making her own. She won the 2016 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Portland, Oregon. At the time, only a week prior to the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships, Cunningham's jump (6 ft 6 1⁄4) was the world-leading jump and a world junior record. She then won the high jump at the World Indoor Championship.

 

Now, fresh out of Bishop Gorman NV and recently signed with Nike, Cunningham jumped 6-5 ½ feet in the air to punch her ticket to this year’s Olympics. She went up looking to clear a height and came down on the mat with a new world junior outdoor record. 

 

Talk about jumping for joy.

 

Like McLaughlin, Cunningham had her nerves early in the Trials, but come the day of finals and was ready to go. In a post-race interview, she mentioned that she was grateful to have finished in the top three to qualify, but she really wanted to win at the Trials. That ladies and gentleman is the kind of attitude that separates the girls from the women, and Cunningham has decided that it’s time to become a strong, young woman, which she is.

 

Cunningham looks to continue to focus on preparing for Rio as best as she can, and is vying for a spot on the podium. She’s used to competing on the big stage, but if she can hone in and focus on what she knows she can do, there’s no doubt that she can’t achieve greatness. Stage fright isn’t in the question.

 

 

Alexis “Lexi” Weeks

When she graduated from Cabot High School in 2015, the now Razorback freshman probably didn’t fathom that one year later, she’d be able to add “Olympian” to her list of names. 

 

But then again, does anyone truly think that they’ll be one of the next group of Olympians?

 

After taking the third and final spot in the women’s pole vault competition (15-5), Weeks tried to comprehend going from national high school record holder to NCAA champion to U.S. Olympic team member all in one year’s time. 

 

“That sounds surreal to hear,” she said in an interview with DyeStat when called an Olympian. 

 

Weeks mentioned that she didn’t have the highest of hopes of making the team, that it was a possibility, but not a reality. 2020 was the reality for her. She didn’t want to think about it as something that she has to do; she wanted to have fun and in doing so, she was able to relax and get done what needed to be done.

 

Weeks has hopes of bringing her sister along in four years, but for now, her focus is on Rio. Like many athletes, she has to find what works for her, her own groove. If going out with the mindset of having fun and doing what you love rather than stress about what was at stake, then that’s her groove, one that she’ll have to find again in Rio. She does that, and you’re talking about a pretty good finishing placement, if not on the podium.

 

 

Ariana Washington

Washington is just two years removed from Long Beach Poly HS in California. Two years at Oregon have transformed her into an Olympian and she will be on the U.S. team relay pool. 

 

The Ducks redshirt freshman was fired up and ready to go coming into the Trials after a huge successful collegiate debut, becoming the first-ever freshman to win both the 100 and 200 NCAA titles. That was also where the champion ran her personal-bests of a wind-aided (+2.6) 10.95 and a wind-legal (+1.9) 22.21.

 

Washington finished sixth in the women’s 100-meter finals (11.01) and ran 22.65 to grab fifth in the 200-meter finals, finishing right behind Allyson Felix (22.54).

 

Disappointed to not make the team in one of her two events, Washington was prepared to take the next step and prepare for sophomore season at Oregon. Then, on Sunday night, she received probably the most memorable phone call in her life.

 

She’d been selected to be part of the women’s 4x100 relay team for Team USA. The team is looking for gold in this event, and they want her ─ with her speed, grit, and can-do-attitude ─ to be part of that; part of something that could be very special.

 

With a group of girls who can all very well run low or sub-11 seconds each, Washington has a very real chance of making the podium, provided that everyone runs their best and the handoffs are a smooth transition.

 

 

 

Keturah Orji 

A world-class athlete, undefeated collegiate jumper, NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion, and...Olympian?

 

Yes, she did it. The gracefulness of Georgia sophomore Keturah Orji continued as she stepped up to the plate and continued her undefeated season in the triple jump at the Trials (pretty impressive by the way). The Mount Olive NJ graduate secured her spot early, only dipping under 14 meters once (13.99 m or 45-10 ¾).

 

With her best attempts being her first and fifth at 14.32 (46-11 ¾), she handily won the event. Of course, she’ll have to improve on that a bit if she wants a spot on the podium, but she’s Team USA’s best chance of medaling in the triple jump. 

 

Deajah Stevens

“Speechless” was the word used by Stevens after her 200-meter qualifying race (22.30). As former Duck teammate, Jenna Prandini (who also qualified) said, “it was a fight to the finish, that’s for sure.”

 

The goal was to make the team, as it is for everyone competing. However, Stevens explained that the race didn’t go exactly how she wanted it, as some races don’t. She adjusted, got out strong, and came home charging. When it was all said and done, she was an Olympian.

 

It was expected that four-time Olympian Allyson Felix would be one of the three, but she finished fourth and did not make the team in the 200, which is a blow to Felix since she’d been highly anticipating a possible 200-400 double in Rio.

 

Suddenly, the Benjamin Cardozo NY (the last of three high schools) grad has a shot at making the podium, or a very close fourth or fifth place finish in Rio.

 

Raven Saunders 

As a freshman at Southern Illinois, she claimed a Pan American Junior title, a USATF Junior title, two NCAA titles, two Missouri Valley Conference titles, two American Junior records, two SIU records and four MVC record, became the first American Junior to ever break 18 meters in the shot put (a feat she replicated numerous times), won a gold medal in the shot put at the 2015 Pan American Junior Championships with a meet-record throw of 18.27m (59-11.25), was the U.S. Junior Champion in the shot put for the second straight year, along with being a 2016 Bowerman Finalist and…

 

Well, there’s more, but to sum it up: she’s good and she’s going to Rio. We've known that since she broke the high school national record at Burke SC.

 

It took her until the later rounds of the shot put for her to get in her groove. Once she did, she was able to put out a good one by throwing 19.24 (63-1 ½). Naturally, Saunders was all smiles once she knew she qualified. In an interview with DyeStat, she explained that after finishing third to qualify for finals, she was confident that she could make the team. 

 

“Honestly, I felt really comfortable,” she said during the interview. “My body was feeling great, my technique was on, it was just a matter of fixing a few minor things.”

 

No stress is always the best.

 

She didn’t trail too far behind winner Michelle Carter (19.54 or 64-3 ¼), and like anyone, she can be beaten. The real question is can she beat enough people to finish on the podium? If all goes according to plan, or even not so much, Saunders has a (pardon the pun) really good shot. Her Twitter name is “GiveMe1Shot.” 

 

Alright. Give it to her.

 

Devon Allen 

When Devon Allen cleared the final hurdle and crossed the line in first on Saturday, the stadium was so loud that no one, not even Allen himself, could hear.

 

You only get that kind of noise when something truly special happens. And it did in 13.03 seconds.

 

The Oregon two-sport star and NCAA outdoor champion from Brophy Prep AZ became the first male collegiate athlete since 1980 to win the men's 110-meter hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials by prevailing in 13.03 ─ the second-fastest ever by a collegiate athlete, trailing only the 1979 collegiate record by Maryland's Renaldo Nehemiah of 13.00.

 

If that doesn’t impress you, how about the fact that just a year ago, he wasn’t running track due to a torn ACL.He continued to played football, but not nearly to the best of his abilities.

 

Now, he’s back, and he wants the whole world to know. Sub-13 was the goal in Eugene, as he mentioned in the post-race press conference. Now it’s sub-13 in Rio. Allen has a real shot of a podium finish if he can execute his race to its utmost perfection, something that it seems he’s ready to do.

 

Kendell Williams

Two-time heptathlon NCAA outdoor champion and three-time pentathlon NCAA indoor champion, Williams has proven that she’s all about her A-game.

 

Finishing in a close but comfortable third to qualify in 6402 points, Williams is a seasoned collegiate athlete at Georgia who knows how to handle herself in any situation.

 

In an interview with DyeStat, the Kell GA grad said that the dream started back in 2012 when she was watching the Trials and the Olympic Games in London.

 

“2016, that’s the year I want to go,” she said. “It’s crazy that that dream was able to come true.”

 

Some events Williams still hasn’t mastered, particularly the shot put, the javelin, and the 800, but over the past few years and leading up to the Trials, she says that she’s been focusing hard on making her weaker events stronger and becoming a better well-rounded athlete.

 

A top five or even a podium finish is in the range, but she’ll have to truly strengthen those weaker events to be able to not lose vital points needed to give her a better total.

 

 

Trayvon Bromell

Part of the trio of Florida men who swept the 100 final, the New Balance runner finished second in a new personal-best of 9.84, just on the heels of Gatlin. After the semifinals, he said that the focus was to finish strong and make it through the rounds. Going into the finals, Bromell had the same mindset, and it's paid off.

 

Three short years ago, he was fresh out of Gibbs high school and the first high school prep in history to run under 10 seconds in the 100m at the Great Southwest Classic in a wind-aided 9.99. Now, he’s running in the Olympics.

 

In his post-race interview, Bromell said “I told God ‘You give me the strength and I promise I’ll put everything on the track.’”

 

Bromell is the future of USA track and field, and perhaps the future of the 100. Only time will tell, but Bromell hasn’t been known to shy away from a challenge, nor has he been one to be left in the dust either. A chance to be on the podium is definitely within his grasp.

 

Shelbi Vaughan

Texas A&M standout Shelbi Vaughan made her first U.S. Olympic team and her sixth international roster overall for the Americans with her 197-9 (60.28m) effort in the discus throw at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

 

In her interview with DyeStat, she explained what the goal was coming in, which, not surprisingly was to make the team, but she was focusing on making it to finals. Once she did, then she was able to set her sights on Rio.

 

Her final NCAA outdoor championships didn’t go well, and she finished sixth overall. She said that she’d rather had it (a bad performance) happen there than at the Trials, and leading up to it, it’s all been about refocusing to get the best results.

 

“First would’ve been nice, second is great, third would’ve worked too,” she said after the competition.

 

Refocusing and keeping calm during the competition in Rio will be the difference between making the podium, finishing in the top five, or being last. Since she has no intention of finishing last, anywhere in that top five range seems doable with her abilities (personal-best of 199-2).

 

Clayton Murphy

Coming off of the final turn with 100 to go, Murphy was in third, then slid up to second. At the time, Boris Berian was leading as he typically does, and Murphy wasn’t sure if he could catch him.

 

“The goal was to be top three,” he said in a post-race interview. “I just wanted to keep pushing to the line and I was able to get him in the last few steps.”

 

During the first lap, the 2013 graduate of New Madison OH was in second-to-last place and he didn’t even realize it at the time. He thought he was further up. Then, with 200 to go, he thought that he could be in the top three. Only with about 10 to go did he know he could win.

 

He said that he’s usually gone through in about 52 seconds for the first 400, and coming through under that was where he wanted to be, though he adds that he still needs to work on his opening lap if he wants to make it to finals.

 

Both Murphy and Berian have a legitimate chance at medaling this summer and Murphy has been known to pack quite a kick coming home. It’s a real possibility to see him on the podium next month.

 

Byron Robinson

Robinson powered his way to the finals and once he got there, he punched his ticket and punched it hard, running a huge personal-best to grab second in the men’s 400-meter hurdle finals (48.79).

 

In his post-race interview,  the 2013 Western Branch VA grad said “It’s everything (in regards to making the Olympic team). A lifelong goal done at 21. It’s big.”

 

The Texas junior has been making small strides in preparation to make a big one, and this was certainly the big one. But now he has another task: do what was done, but better. A top five finish is in the cards for Robinson, but that doesn’t mean he’s limited to a fifth place finish. He’s welcome to run faster.

 

One thing is certain: there are some definite medal contenders in this young group, many of whom we’ll get to watch over perhaps the next couple of decades.