Chesapeake’s Grant Holloway, Hampton’s Jalani Davis will represent Team USA at World Track & Field Championships
Chesapeake’s Grant Holloway and Hampton’s Jalani Davis will represent the United States at the World Athletics Championships next month in Budapest, Hungary.
Holloway, a Grassfield High grad, had already clinched a spot on the team because he’s the defending world champion and received a bye. He won his semifinal heat in 13.10 seconds, but decided not to run in the finals of the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships.
Holloway, the two-time world champion, wasn’t a surprise to Team USA.
The same couldn’t be said for Davis.
A walk-on at Ole Miss four years ago, she won an NCAA title in the weight throw at 80 feet, 5 inches, making her the No. 4 performer in the history of the meet.
But she struggled at the NCAA region meet and didn’t advance to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in both the hammer and shot put.
Prior to the USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships, she said, “I am beyond excited about being able to participate in this track meet,” she said. “My expectations are to compete at my highest ability and have fun.”
She got off to a rough start when she fouled on her first attempt. She bounced back with a throw of 60-9 ½ that put her in third place. After another foul, she had a throw of 61-1 ¼. She ended up edging out world champion Chase Ealey on a tiebreaker.
Several other Hampton Roads athletes also hoped to win a spot on Team USA.
Suffolk’s Michaela Rose came up short as she finished sixth in the 800 meters. Rose, who was homeschooled, ran 2:01.47. She needed to finish in the top three to make Team USA.
Rose got out fast and was in second place through the first 200 meters. She moved to the front of the pack after 300 meters and kept the lead as she came through the first 400 meters in 58.50. She was in third place with 200 meters to go, but faded to sixth in the final 50 meters.
“It was not the outcome that I wanted, but I am so grateful for this amazing season,” she said. “To make the U.S. finals was such an experience and I have gained so much from it. It was so exciting to race against such talented ladies. I trust that God has blessings in store for me, I just need to stay patient and keep working.”
It was a remarkable season for Rose. The LSU sophomore won the NCAA 800 meters last month when she ran 1 minute, 59.83 seconds. It was her third sub-2-minute time of the outdoor season and made her the only woman in NCAA history to accomplish that feat.
She also clocked the second-fastest time in collegiate history earlier in the season when she ran 1:59.08 at the Bryan Clay Invitational. Only two-time Olympic gold medalist Athing Mu has run faster. She ran 1:57.03 in 2021 when she was at Texas A&M.
Rose also was selected as a semifinalist for The Bowerman, the highest individual honor in collegiate track and field.
Recent high school graduates Madison Whyte (Heritage) and Jaydin Williams (Norview) competed in the USATF U20 Championships.
Whyte, who will compete for Southern Cal next year, finished fourth in the 400. She tied her personal-best time of 52.49. She will run on the relay team at the U20 Pan Am Games. She was recently named the Gatorade Virginia Girls Track and Field Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive season.
Williams tied for eighth in the high jump with a leap of 6-6 ¾. Last month, he cleared 7 feet to set a Class 5 state meet record. He is one of only 20 high school athletes in the country to clear that height this season.
Larry Rubama, 757-575-6449, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com. Twitter @LHRubama
