‘It means the world, man.’ Hurdler Roberts joins growing list of ex-Cats in Olympics.
Daniel Roberts became the third former University of Kentucky track and field star to qualify for the United States team headed to this summer’s Tokyo Olympics on Saturday night, and there could be more to come.
Roberts ran a season-best time of 13.11 seconds to finish third in the 110-meter hurdles during the U.S. Olympic Trials at Eugene, Ore. He’ll be joined on the American team by Grant Holloway (:12.96) and Devon Allen (:13.10), who finished first and second, respectively.
“It means the world, man,” Roberts said during Saturday’s NBC broadcast. “This past season has been crazy for all of us, so I’m just happy to be here with my boys.”
Roberts was the 2019 Southeastern Conference champion and NCAA runner-up in the 110 hurdles for Kentucky.
Roberts will be joined on Team USA in Tokyo by Javianne Oliver (100-meter dash) and Keni Harrison (100-meter hurdles). Also headed to the Olympics will be UK alums Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, who will represent Puerto Rico in the 100 hurdles, Leah Nugent who made the Jamaican team in the 400 hurdles, and Tim Duckworth, who will compete for Great Britain in the decathlon.
Expected to join that group is former Cat Sydney McLaughlin, who qualified Saturday night for Sunday night’s finals in the 400 hurdles. The 2018 NCAA champion in the same event for UK, McLaughlin ran the fastest time in Saturday’s heats at 53.03 seconds.
“The goal was just to get out, run the backstretch and run the pattern that’s probably going to happen tomorrow in the final, which I did,” McLaughlin said. “From there it was just maintaining. Had a couple of switches there with my leg, but overall a good time and excited to see what happens.”
Former UK athlete Kiah Seymour and current Cat Masai Russell also took part in Saturday’s 400 hurdles semifinals but did not advance.
Olivia Gruver, who won the NCAA pole vault championship for Kentucky in 2018, missed out on the Olympics in that event by one spot on Saturday, finishing in fourth place. Gruver’s top jump of 15 feet, 1 inch matched that of the third-place finisher, but an earlier miss cost her the tiebreaker.
Former Wildcat Shakeela Saunders also narrowly missed out, placing sixth in the long jump.
Ex-Cat Dezerea Bryant finished sixth in the 200-meter finals but remains in contention for a spot on the United States’ 4-by-100 relay team.
Wildcats sophomore Tai Brown finished fifth in the 110-hurdles race in which Roberts qualified for the Games. Brown’s time of 13.32 seconds was a personal best and ranks second all-time in the event behind Roberts among UK athletes.
“My guy Tai, I’m so excited for him to even have that kind of experience in such a big atmosphere, a big moment,” Roberts said. “I’m excited for what’s coming for him. Back in Kentucky we train together. He’s great. He’s gonna be one of the best to ever do it if he just keeps going, keeps doing his thing so I’m excited for him to be in that moment with me.”
Duckworth, a two-time NCAA champion at Kentucky from the class of 2018, will be headed to Tokyo as part of Great Britain’s team after winning their decathlon trials with 7,447 points on Saturday.
Saturday’s other highlights
Gabby Thomas became the second-fastest woman ever in the 200, winning the finals in 21.61 seconds. The only woman faster: Florence Griffith-Joyner.
Other winners Saturday included Emily Sisson (10,000), Katie Nageotte (pole vault), Maggie Malone (javelin), Rai Benjamin (400 hurdles) and Brittney Reese (long jump).
Not winning: Allyson Felix, who finished fifth in the 200, but already had her spot secured in the 400.
Also, Noah Lyles finished second in his 200 semifinal and looked somewhat shocked to see that 17-year-old Erriyon Knighton had beaten him to the line. Knighton finished in 19.88 to top an under-20 world record that had been held by none other than Usain Bolt.