Track & Field
UKTF Alumna Javianne Oliver Headed to Olympics

UKTF Alumna Javianne Oliver Headed to Olympics

by Jake Most and Tony Neely

USATF Trials: Live Results | TV Schedule | Competition Schedule | Javianne Oliver Interview | Harrison Interview | Hazlewood Interview
 
EUGENE, Oregon – Javianne Oliver, who competed for the University of Kentucky from 2015-17, became the first Wildcat to earn a spot on the United States Track and Field Olympic Team on Saturday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. 
 
Running in the finals of the 100-meter dash finals Saturday night, Oliver got off to a great start and the early lead. She was overtaken near the wire, but her second place finish – timed at 10.99 seconds – earned a ticket to the Tokyo Olympics. Earlier in the evening, she had advanced to the finals by finishing second in the semifinals with a time of 10.83 seconds.

“It’s surreal to put together a full race,” Oliver said. “It came together today and I’m so excited … It went by so fast. All I know was I was running as hard as I could, and it paid off.

“I’m just really grateful to even be here. It’s been a long journey to get here. Reflecting on all the races, I’m just grateful to make it all three (rounds) healthy and to make this team.”
 
Oliver’s time at Kentucky was highlighted by winning a silver medal in the 60m dash at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships.  She owns the No. 2 time in UK history in the 60m (7.14) and the No. 4 mark in UK history in the 100m (11.16).
 
Oliver joined Jasmine Camacho-Quinn (Puerto Rico – 100H) on the list of Wildcat alumni to punch their tickets to Tokyo so far.
 
Micaela Hazlewood, class of 2019 and coached by Kentucky throws coach Keith McBride, finished second in the discus throw with a personal-record sling of 205’2″/62.54m.  She has yet to meet the Olympic qualifying standard of 63.50m in the event this year, which complicates whether she can make the U.S. Olympic Team.
 
“In round two I hit a big PR, kind of went after that,” Hazlewood said. “To have a PR today, I can’t complain at all … It’s definitely a bittersweet moment. I need to get that extra 96 centimeters to have that Olympic Standard, but also to be like ‘I hit this, I’m ready, I’m prepared.’ If hitting a personal best, it’s almost like I’m ready to throw the Olympic Standard. I’m ready to do that and I’m capable.
 
“To compete like this at the Olympic Trials just shows that I’m moving in the right direction. Before this season my PR was only 58.49 so I’ve made big jumps this year. I’m ready to go.”
 
The World Athletics guidelines allow athletes to chase the standard until June 29, and the 2020 Olympic qualifying standards also afforded athletes ranked highly on the world list this year a chance to qualify without the Olympic Standard, so she still has a window in which to achieve the Olympic Standard and make the U.S. Olympic Team.

Meanwhile, Kendra Harrison, Keaton Daniel and Ethan Shalaway all advanced to the finals in their events.
 
Harrison ran 12.49 seconds in the first round of the 100-meter hurdles, advancing to Sunday’s semifinals. Harrison, who holds the world record in that event, was elected to the UK Athletics Hall of Fame on Tuesday of this week.
 
“My mindset is just to come out here and win every round,” Harrison said. “Just think of it as a regular track meet. Don’t put too much pressure on myself and just do what I can do.”
 
Daniel, currently a redshirt freshman at UK, enjoyed a perfect night in the pole vault qualifying round.  He cleared all four heights on the first attempt, topping out at 18’6.5″/5.65m to move forward to Monday’s finals.
 
Shalaway, UK class of 2018, grabbed the final qualifying spot in the javelin throw by finishing 12th with a toss of 223’3″/68.04m.  He advances to Monday’s finals.
 
Additional Wildcats who competed on Saturday included:

  • Masai Russell and Faith Ross finished 19th and 26th, respectively, in the 100m hurdles with times of 13.09 and 13.32.
  • Lance Lang, 24th in the 100m dash with a time of 10.27 seconds.
  • Dezerea Bryant, class of 2015, was a heartbreaking ninth in the 100m semifinals with a time of 11.03 seconds, missing the finals cut by a mere .01.

On Sunday, in addition to Harrison in the semifinals – and hopefully finals – of the 100m hurdles, Katy Kunc (Class of 2018) will run in the first round of the 3000m steeplechase.
 
The 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo were postponed last year, but are still being known as the 2020 Olympics.
 
More UK alumni are entered in the meet and will be covered as they compete. 
 
How to qualify for the Olympics
The top three finishers in each event, so long as they have the Olympic qualifying standard which was established by World Athletics months ago, will automatically earn spots on Team USA for the 2020 Summer Olympics to be held in in Tokyo in July-August 2021. 
 
Olympic team trials and their equivalent meetings are taking place across the world in the coming days and weeks.
 

U.S Olympic Teams Trials Schedule | All Times Pacific (local) and subject to change.

Day 1 – Friday, June 18, 2021

Discus Throw

Women

Qualifying

4. Micaela Hazlewood (Class of 2019): 195’11″/59.72m q

400m

Women

1st Round

17. Chloe Abbott (Class of 2020): 52.52

High Jump

Women

Qualifying

Annika Williams (Scratched)

100m

Women

1st Round

2. Javianne Oliver (Class of 2017): 10.96Q (+1.1) | PB

7. Dezerea Bryant (Class of 2015): 11.09 (+0.8) | SB

10,000m

Men

Final

17. Jacob Thomson (Class of 2018): 28:42.08

Day 2 – Saturday, June 19, 2021

Javelin Throw

Men

Qualifying

12. Ethan Shalaway (Class of 2018): 223’3″/68.04m q

Pole Vault

Men

Qualifying

T1. Keaton Daniel: 18’6.5″/5.65m q

100m Hurdles

Women

1st Round

1. Keni Harrison (Class of 2015/

UK Athletics

 HoF): 12.49Q (-0.3)

19. Masai Russell: 13.09 (+0.1)

26.

Faith Ross: 13.32 (-0.3)

100m

Men

1st Round

24. Lance Lang: 10.27

100m

Women

Semi-Finals

2. Javianne Oliver (Class of 2017): 10.83wQ (+2.3)

9. Dezerea Bryant (Class of 2015): 11.03w (+2.3)

Discus Throw

Women

Final

2. Micaela Hazelwood: 205’2″/62.54m

100m

Women

Final

2. Javianne Oliver (Class of 2017): 10.99 (-1.0), makes U.S. Olympic Team

 Day 3 – Sunday, June 20, 2021

4:25 p.m.

Hammer Throw

Men

Final

 

5:50 p.m.

High Jump

Women

Final

 

5:55 p.m.

Triple Jump

Women

Final

 

6:03 p.m.

100m Hurdles

Women

Semi-Finals

Keni Harrison (Class of 2015/UK Athletics HoF)

6:19 p.m.

100m

Men

Semi-Finals

 

6:35 p.m.

3000m Steeplechase

Women

1st Round

Katy Kunc (Class of 2018)

7:06 p.m.

400m

Women

Final

 

7:15 p.m.

400m

Men

Final

 

7:23 p.m.

1500m

Men

Decathlon

 

7:43 p.m.

100m Hurdles

Women

Final

 

7:52pm

100m

Men

Final

 

 Day 4 – Monday, June 21, 2021

3:30 p.m.

Pole Vault

Men

Final

Keaton Daniel

4:15 p.m.

Javelin Throw

Men

Final

Ethan Shalaway

4:29 p.m.

3000m Steeplechase

Men

1st Round

 

4:40 p.m.

Triple Jump

Men

Final

 

5:05 p.m.

1500m

Women

Final

 

5:28 p.m.

800m

Men

Final

 

5:40 p.m.

5000m

Women

Final

 

 

 

Day 5 – Tuesday, June 22, 2021

 

Rest Day

 

Day 6 – Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Rest Day

 

 

 

 

 Day 7 – Thursday, June 24, 2021

1:25 p.m.

Hammer Throw

Women

Qualifying

 

1:30 p.m.

Shot Put

Women

Qualifying

 

5:00 p.m.

Pole Vault

Women

Qualifying

Olivia Gruver (transferred to Washington for senior year)

5:45 p.m.

Long Jump

Women

Qualifying

Kenyattia Hackworth (Class of 2015), Sha’Keela Saunders (Class of 2018)

6:04 p.m.

1500m

Men

1st Round

 

6:31 p.m.

200m

Women

1st Round

Dezerea Bryant

7:00 p.m.

800m

Women

1st Round

 

7:05 p.m.

Discus Throw

Men

Qualifying

 

7:32 p.m.

400m Hurdles

Men

1st Round

Sydney McLaughlin (2018), Kiah Seymour (2016), Masai Russell, Faith Ross

8:00 p.m.

Shot Put

Women

Final

 

8:04 p.m.

5000m

Men

1st Round

 

8:47 p.m.

3000m Steeplechase

Women

Final

 

 Day 8 – Friday, June 25, 2021

1:00 p.m.

Javelin Throw

Women

Qualifying

 

1:30 p.m.

Long Jump

Men

Qualifying

 

2:04 p.m.

200m

Men

1st Round

Lance Lang, EJ Floreal (Class of 2019)

2:33 p.m.

110m Hurdles

Men

1st Round

Daniel Roberts (2019), Nick Anderson (Class of 2016), Tai Brown

3:00 p.m.

High Jump

Men

Qualifying

 

3:02 p.m.

800m

Women

Semi-Finals

 

3:18 p.m.

400m Hurdles

Men

Semi-Finals

 

3:30 p.m.

Discus Throw

Men

Final

 

3:35 p.m.

400m Hurdles

Women

1st Round

 

4:05 p.m.

1500m

Men

Semi-Finals

 

4:25 p.m.

200m

Women

Semi-Finals

 

4:42 p.m.

3000m Steeplechase

Men

Final

 

 Day 9 – Saturday, June 26, 2021

9:00 a.m.

20km Race Walk

Men

Final

 

9:01 a.m.

20km Race Walk

Women

Final

 

1:15 p.m.

100m Hurdles

Women

Heptathlon

 

2:30 p.m.

High Jump

Women

Heptathlon

 

4:05 p.m.

Hammer Throw

Women

Final

 

4:40 p.m.

Shot Put

Women

Heptathlon

 

5:30 p.m.

Javelin

Women

Final

 

5:38 p.m.

200m

Women

Heptathlon

 

5:40 p.m.

Pole Vault

Women

Final

 

6:03 p.m.

110m Hurdles

Men

Semi-Finals

 

6:19 p.m.

400m Hurdles

Women

Semi-Finals

 

6:30 p.m.

Long Jump

Women

Final

 

6:35 p.m.

400m Hurdles

Men

Final

 

6:44 p.m.

10,000m

Women

Final

 

7:24 p.m.

200m

Women

Final

 

7:33 p.m.

200m

Men

Semi-Finals

 

7:51 p.m.

110m Hurdles

Men

Final

 

Day 10 – Sunday, June 27, 2021

1:00 p.m.

Long Jump

Women

Heptathlon

 

1:30 p.m.

High Jump

Men

Final

 

2:15 p.m.

Javelin Throw

Women

Heptathlon

 

3:50 p.m.

800m – B

Women

Heptathlon

 

4:00 p.m.

Long Jump

Men

Final

 

4:04 p.m.

800m – A

Women

Heptathlon

 

4:20 p.m.

400m Hurdles

Women

Final

 

4:30 p.m.

5000m

Men

Final

 

4:52 p.m.

800m

Women

Final

 

5:10 p.m.

1500m

Men

Final

 

5:22 p.m.

200m

Men

Final

 

Follow along with the Cats on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and at UKathletics.com.

 

 

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