UKTF Boasts Historic Olympic Trials Window
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Historic is the word that best describes the past week of Olympic Team Trials for the Kentucky Track & Field program. UKTF had six national champions and even more qualified for their respective nation’s Olympic Teams that will compete in Paris this summer.
Alumni and current student-athletes earned gold in their various countries’ championships with eight total medalists around the world.
As of Monday, July 1, seven UKTF Wildcats will make the trip to Paris, France, in August. UKTF had four champions at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, one of the best outputs by one university at the trials. UKTF’s seven athletes in Paris will be the second most in the nation among collegiate programs.
Below is a breakdown of how some of Kentucky’s top performers did at their respective countries’ Olympic Trials in their respective events.
United States Olympic Team Trials Athletes
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone – UKTF 2017-18
International track superstar and Wildcat Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is heading to her third Olympic Games after closing out the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in stunning fashion. McLaughlin-Levrone left the fans in Eugene with something to cherish forever after closing the U.S. Olympic Trials with a 400-meter hurdles world record of 50.65 – the second Olympic Trials in a row where she set a world record.
It marks the fifth time in her career she has set the event world record and the second time she has won Olympic Trials gold in her career. She won the 400-meter hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene in 2021 with a then-world record of 51.90.
McLaughlin-Levrone will join Team USA for her third Olympics after participating in the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games, winning gold in the 4×400-meter relay and 400-meter hurdles in Tokyo.
McLaughlin won the 2018 NCAA 400m hurdles championship as a freshman at UK and broke the collegiate record en route to the Southeastern Conference crown in her signature event.
Masai Russell – Class of 2023
Recent alumna Masai Russell made her name known to the country after booking her spot in her first Olympic Games on the final day of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Russell joined Team USA after securing her first U.S. Championship in the 100-meter hurdles on Sunday night. The Potomac, Maryland, native stormed across the line in a world-leading 12.25 earning a third-straight personal best in the trials but also took down Gail Devers’ 24-year-old U.S. Olympic Trials record of 12.33 set in 2000.
She’s just .05 seconds off UKTF Class of 2015 Keni Harrison’s American Record of 12.20, meaning the two fastest women’s 100m hurdlers in U.S. history are both Kentucky Wildcats. Harrison was sixth in the Olympic Trials final after she claimed Olympic silver in Tokyo.
Harrison (second fastest in history) and Russell (fourth fastest in history) give Kentucky two of the four fastest ever on the all-time world list in the 100m hurdles.
Russell was a multiple-times SEC Champion and All-American during a decorated collegiate career from 2019-2023. She also broke the collegiate record in the 60m hurdles and 100m hurdles.
Andrew Evans – Class of 2014
Alumnus Andrew Evans outmuscled the competition in the discus throw and joined Team USA after securing his second career gold medal in the men’s discus throw. Evans launched a commanding throw of 218’6”/66.61 meters on his third attempt for the win and was the only competitor to throw for 66 meters on multiple attempts.
The Portage, Michigan native will participate in the second Olympics of his career after making his debut in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016 when he finished 16th. Evans won the SEC Discus Championship in 2012 and 2014 and was a multiple-times All-American at UK.
Charity Hufnagel – Class of 2024
Senior high jumper Charity Hufnagel won her first United States national title in her signature event. The 2023 NCAA outdoor champion reached the highest achievement of her career with a lifetime best clearance of 6’4.25”/1.94 meters for the victory. Hufnagel got the job done in stunning fashion by clearing five straight heights, including her new personal best, with zero misses.
Hufnagel became the first collegian to win the event since Chaunte Howard of Georgia Tech in 2008 and dethroned Vashti Cunningham, who’s won 13-straight indoor and outdoor gold medals in the event at the U.S. Championships.
Hufnagel won the SEC indoor pentathlon this past season and was All-American.
Alexis Holmes – Class of 2022
Alumna Alexis Holmes is heading to her first Olympic Games this fall. Holmes earned bronze in the 400 meters after running a personal best time of 49.78. The Connecticut native ran a split of 23.90 through 200 meters, putting her in fifth place halfway through the race. Holmes dropped a spot through 300 meters at 36.49 before kicking past three runners in the final 100 meters to capture third at the line and qualify for her first Olympic Team.
Holmes ran on UK’s NCAA Champion 4x400m relay team in 2022, was a multiple-times All-American and Southeastern Conference Champion during her time at UK.
Daniel Roberts – Class of 2019
Alumnus Daniel Roberts joins Team USA after he secured bronze in the men’s 110-meter hurdles running a personal best time of 12.96 to clinch the final automatic spot to Paris. The Atlanta native will participate in the second Olympics of his career after making his debut in Tokyo in 2021 where he finished ninth in the 110-meter hurdles. It also marks the fourth medal of his career at a United States Championship.
Roberts won the 2019 SEC Championship at UK and was a multiple-times All-American.
International Athletes
Devynne Charlton – Volunteer Coach – Bahamas
UKTF volunteer coach Devynne Charlton officially punched her ticket to Paris after winning her seventh 100-meter hurdles title at the Bahamian Olympic Trials. Charlton crossed the line in 12.62 and will participate in her second Olympic Games after making her Olympic debut in 2021 in Tokyo where she placed sixth in the 100-meter hurdles.
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn – UKTF (2015-2018) – Puerto Rico
Wildcat Camacho-Quinn, the reigning Olympic Gold Medalist in the 100m hurdles, will participate in her third Olympic Games and is ranked No. 1 in the world. Camacho-Quinn made her Olympic debut in the 100-meter hurdles in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016 before winning her and Puerto Rico’s first Olympic gold medal in the same event at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Camacho-Quinn won the NCAA 100m hurdles in 2016 and 2018 and holds the Olympic Record in the 100m hurdles – 12.26.
Alexander Chukwukelu – Freshman – Nigeria
Freshman hurdles prodigy Alexander Chukwukelu returned to his home nation of Nigeria to compete in his first Nigerian Outdoor Championships. The Texas native secured his first international 110-meter hurdles title with a time of 13.92. Chukwukelu went on to compete at the African Athletics Championships for Nigeria in the 110-meter hurdles where he placed sixth overall with a time of 14.26.
Medal Breakdown
United States
4 Gold Medals – Andrew Evans (’14), Charity Hufnagel (‘24), Masai Russell (’23), Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (UKTF 2017-18)
2 Bronze Medals – Alexis Holmes (’22), Daniel Roberts (’19)
Bahamas
1 Gold Medal – Devynne Charlton (Volunteer Coach)
Nigeria
1 Gold Medal – Alexander Chukwukelu (Freshman)
UKTF Paris Olympics Participating Athletes
Women
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (2015-18; Team Puerto Rico) – 100mH
Alexis Holmes (’22) – 400m, relay pool
Devynne Charlton (Volunteer Coach; Team Bahamas) – 100mH
Masai Russell (’23) – 100mH
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (2017-18) – 400mH
Men
Andrew Evans (’14) – Discus Throw
Daniel Roberts (’19) – 110mH
Track and field events at the 2024 Paris Olympics Games begin August 1 and continue through August 11.
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