Six-time Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix will start her quest to secure a five Olympic Games berth when she lines up in the heats of the women’s 400m at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field, in Eugene, Oregon, on Friday, June 18.
Felix Ready To Big Tokyo Push
Felix, a four-time Olympian (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016), will compete in both the women’s 200m and 400m at the trials and she has a very good chance at making the team in both events.
The 35-year-old who finished second in the 400m at the 2016 Rio Games, has returned for a final shot at the gold medal in Tokyo, later this summer, but acknowledge that she must first overcome the first barrier at the U.S. Trials.
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Felix enters the championships as the eighth fastest American over the 400m this season with 50.66 seconds.
However, the likes of Athing Mu (49.57) and Shamier Little (49.91), two of the sub-50 seconds performers this season – opted to concentrate on other events, which makes the 11-times world champion’s path to a top three finish somewhat easier.
Felix will start from lane five in heat one where she will come up against Jessica Beard, Joanna Atkins and NaAsha Robinson.
Hayes Looks To Extend Good Form
Meanwhile, 2016 World Indoor bronze medalist Quanera Hayes, who owns a season’s best of 49.92s, is the quickest among the entries this term and she will open her championship in heat two against the likes of Francena McCorory, Taylor Manson of Florida, USC’s Bailey Lear and Brittany Aveni of Duke.
Wadeline Jonathas, the fourth place finisher at the world championships in Doha in 2019, is another athlete to pay close attention to in the women’s 400m and she said after her victory at the 2021 NACAC New Life Invitational in Miramar on June 5, that some rest and a few tweaking is all she needs to be ready to perform in Eugene.
Jonathas will start in what should be a very competitive heat three that also includes 2017 world champion Phyllis Francis, three-time national champion Natasha Hastings and Lynna Irby, the 2018 NCAA champion.
The fourth heat will see Kendall Ellis going up against Courtney Okolo and they will be taking on a number of collegiate sprinters, including Florida’s Talitha Diggs, the silver medalist at the just concluded NCAA Outdoor Championships at this same venue and Shae Anderson of UCLA.
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