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On one of the most momentous days in the history of the US Olympic Trials – and one of the hottest, with temperatures reaching 38C – Grant Holloway came within one-hundredth of a second of a world record in the 110m hurdles and Rai Benjamin came within five-hundredths in the 400m hurdles. Gabby Thomas made history in the 200m, as did DeAnna Price in the hammer.
All four now rank No.2 all-time in their respective events after their performances in Eugene on Saturday (26).
It was in the semifinals that world champion Holloway achieved his time of 12.81 (1.8m/s), just missing the record set by Aries Merritt in Brussels in 2012. The former trials record was 12.92 by Allen Johnson set at Atlanta in 1996.
Holloway went on to win the final in 12.96 (0.4m/s) over Devon Allen (13.10) and Daniel Roberts (13.11). Allen was fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Holloway said he knew big things were coming after Friday’s first round, and that a world record is “definitely possible.”
It is possible for Benjamin, too, whose 46.83 is the closest anyone has ever come to Kevin Young’s 46.78 from the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Benjamin said his goal was to make the USA team, not break the world record – but the time was reassuring.
SOURCE: Roy Jordan for World Athletics
