Former Kentucky star locks up a spot in 100 meters for Tokyo Olympics

Javianne Oliver, who competed for the University of Kentucky from 2015 to 2017, was the first Wildcat to earn a spot on the United States’ track and field Olympic team on Saturday at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Running in the finals of the 100-meter dash finals Saturday night at the U.S. Olympic Trials, Oliver got off to a strong start and the early lead. She was overtaken near the wire, but her second-place finish — timed at 10.99 seconds — earned a spot in 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, according to a news release by UK. “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 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.”

Sha’Carri Richardson won the 100-meter finals in 10.86. If you were watching, it was hard to miss that shock of flowing, orange hair that came streaking across the finish line. The 21-year-old out of LSU set up a possible showdown with the Jamaican world champion, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who is well-known for her colorful hairstyles, too.

“It’s loud and encouraging and, honestly, dangerous,” Richardson said when asked why she chose the color orange for her big night. “Knowing I’m coming to one of the biggest meets there is, if you’re going to out there and be the best, you need to look the best.”

Richardson said crossing the finish line first was only the second-best feeling of the night. The best came afterward, when she climbed halfway up the stands at Hayward Field and shared a long hug with her grandmother, Betty Harp, who’s also known in the family as “Big Momma.”

“To be able to have her here at the biggest meet in my life, and to cross the finish line and run up the steps to hug her knowing I’m an Olympian, actually that’s probably better than winning the race,” Richardson said.

More work to do?

Former Kentucky star Micaela Hazlewood (class of 2019) finished second in the discus throw with a personal best of 205 feet, 2 inches (62.54 meters). But she has yet to meet the Olympic qualifying standard of 63.5 meters 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, but USA Track & Field has yet to announce their ruling in Hazlewood’s case.

Cats advance

On Saturday, 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 holds the world record in that event.

“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, a redshirt freshman at UK, cleared all four heights in pole vault qualifying on the first attempt, topping out at 18 feet, 6.5 inches (5.65 meters) to move forward to Monday’s finals.

Shalaway grabbed the final qualifying spot in the javelin throw by finishing 12th with a toss of 223 feet, 3 inches (68.04 meters). He advanced to Monday’s finals.