Allen, Miller and Moon all earn Olympic team spots on final day of US Olympic Trials...


EUGENE--
Washington State alum CJ Allen (Paul Merca photo), Brooks Beasts newcomer Brandon Miller, and former Pullman resident Katie Moon all placed themselves on the US Olympic team as the US Olympic Track & Field Trials roared to a close Sunday afternoon at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon.

In the penultimate track race of the Trials, Allen got out well, and ran a 2024 season best 47.81, as Olympic silver medalist Rai Benjamin took the victory in a world leading time and Olympic Trials meet record 46.46.

After the race, Allen told reporters in the mixed zone, "When I was ten years old, I told myself, 'One day I'm going to be an Olympian.'"

"This was my greatest dream--to make this team. I don't think it's fully hit me yet, and it won't hit me for a couple of days. There's been so much pressure, so much stress sitting in my hotel room for the last week and a half just knowing that I could be on this team and having to wait until the very end."

On the race itself, Allen referred to an old photo from his college days at Washington State of he and winner Rai Benjamin racing each other when Benjamin attended UCLA before transferring to cross town USC.

"I took it out hard like I always do. I knew I had to stay focused on my race pattern (especially in an outside lane). For me, it was all about execution. I've trained by myself for the last five years."

"I knew I was a heavy contender for this team. I knew if I did what I was supposed to do, that I would be on this team, whether or not people believed me.

When asked whether or not he'd change anything, he said that he wouldn't. 

"It's more than just a sport. I want to show people that I just finished my masters and my doctorate in September. I did all of this (training and racing as a pro) while still going to school, and that's to get the highest degrees possible and to compete at the highest levels."

Courtesy of NBC Sports, here's video of Allen's race:



The men's 800 meters saw Brandon Miller (Paul Merca photo) of the Brooks Beasts run aggressively from the start, passing through 400 in 51.48, staying in contact with the eventual winner Bryce Hoppel, and Hobbs Kessler, who after making the Olympic team last week in the 1500, was looking to be the first American since Rick Wohlhuter in 1976 to make the Olympic team in both the 800 and 1500.

Miller put the pressure on down the backstretch, going with Hoppel through 700 meters.

As they headed down the homestretch, Kessler made a late charge, passing Miller with about 50 meters to go.  Miller hung on for third, running 1:43.97.

Hoppel won the race in a meet record 1:42.77, while Kessler set another personal best, running 1:43.64.

In the mixed zone, Miller, who had set a personal best of 1:43.73 in Friday's semis, came to the final with the mentality of making the race fast.

"(Having to run 1:43) is a testament to middle distance running in the USA, and I'm excited to be a part of it."


Former Pullman resident Katie Moon (Paul Merca photo) finished second behind Trials winner Bridget Williams, as both cleared 15-6.5 (4.73m), with Williams winning on fewer misses.

Moon started with a first attempt make at 14-10.25 (4.53m), then needed two tries to clear 15-2.25 (4.63m).

She cleared the next two bars, 15-4.25 (4.63m) and 15-6.25 (4.73m) with Williams. Moon passed the next height of 15-8.25 (4.78m) as a clearance there wouldn't necessarily give her the win over Williams, who was clean of four straight bars.

Williams missed all three attempts at 15-8.25 (4.78m), then Moon missed all three tris at 15-10 (4.83m).

Division II standout Brynn King finished third with a personal best 15-6.25 (4.73m), which gave her the Olympic qualifying standard.

Washington's Amanda Moll cleared a personal best 15-2.25 (4.63m), while twin sister Hana was sixth at the same height but had more total misses.

Vancouver native Kara Winger's attempt to make a fifth Olympic team came up short, as she finished second with a best of 206-6 (62.94m).

Going into the finals, Winger was fourth, then moved up to third with a throw of 199-6 (60.82m).

Winger, who came out of retirement at the beginning of the month, knew that any chance of making a fifth Olympic team would come down to throwing the Olympic standard of 210-0 (64.00m), regardless of placing in the meet.

In the final round, she launched her best throw of the day, a mark of 206-6 (62.94m), just over a meter short of the Olympic standard.

Winner Maggie Malone Hardin won the competition with a meet record throw of 211-10 (64.58m) and will be the only American going to the Olympics in the javelin.

In the finals of the men's hammer, Ridgefield's Trey Knight finished ninth with a best of 241-4 (73.67m), while in the men's 5000, Seattle resident Sam Prakel was 16th in 14:17.87.

To cap off the Olympic Trials, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone closed the meet with a world record 50.65 in the 400 hurdles.

Other winners included Daniel Haugh in the men's hammer (260-10/79.51m); Shelby McEwen in the men's high jump (7-6.5/2.30m); Salif Mane of Farleigh Dickinson in the men's triple jump (57-5.5/17.52m); Masai Russell in the women's 100 hurdles (12.25, meet record); and Nikki Hiltz in the women's 1500 (3:55.33, meet record).

Day 10 results of the US Olympic Track & Field Trials are available here. 

NOTE: USA Track & Field and World Athletics contributed to this report.

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