Track & Field 2k21: Olympic Trials, 100 Meters Experience

The USA Olympic trials started Friday night in Eugene, Oregon and the opening round of the 100 meters did not disappoint.

In heat one Gabby Thomas fired out of lane five to finish at a personal best time of 11.00. The 2018 NCAA 200 meters indoor champion and former Harvard star, outpaced Aleia Hobbs' time of 11.04, Dezerea Bryant's time of 11.04 and Morolake Akinosun's time of 11.14. Thomas qualified for Saturday's semifinal by winning the heat. Hobbs and Bryant qualified by finishing in the top three and Akinosun made it because she had one of the next four fastest times.

We talked to Thomas after her first round heat one win.

Winner's Only: You had a strong opening round in the 100. What is the pressure like as an athlete on this level and what did it take for you to outperform such talented sprinters?

Gabby Thomas: There’s definitely a lot of pressure but that’s where discipline enters. I’ve been patient and disciplined all season so I’m prepared for trials and excited to see what I can do

Share your thoughts on what it will mean to be an Olympian.

Being an Olympian is my dream. It’s not something I thought I was capable of before the 2016 trials and ever since then it’s been the goal. I’ve been working so hard and I’ve been patient. I’ve surrounded myself with Olympian’s and a great environment so I’m ready to earn my spot on the team.

Heat two featured the talents of the current NCAA 100 meters and 200 meters champ North Carolina A&T's Cambrea Sturgis. She finished at 11.15, in front of Jenna Prandini's time of 11.22 and Tianna Bartoletta's time of 11.27. All three of those runners advanced to the semi-final as well.

The third heat of the 100 meters saw Javianne Oliver become the first athlete of the day to finish under 11 seconds (10.96). Five sprinters in this heat advanced as Oliver, Kayla White (10.99), Teahna Daniels (11.02), Maia McCoy (11.13) and Twanisha Terry (11.14) all ran fast enough to survive for Saturday night's semifinal.

The final heat of the opening round featured the meet's most talked about sprinter, Sha'Carri Richardson. The confident and electric runner breezed to a blowout win of 10.84.

After the race, Richardson was interviewed by the NBC Sports Network where she said, "I know this is basically the biggest race of my life, the biggest track meet of my life ... But [I] continue to think, this is what I do on a day-to-day basis so coming into the meet it's just another day. Another meet."

Richardson's opening time of 10.84 was her fourth fastest time of the season. "Every time I touch the track I want to do what I'm capable of doing," she said. Race by race, round by round, give them hell every time."

Along with Richardson, Mikiah Brisco (11.15), English Gardner (11.17) and Candace Hill (11.19) qualified for the semifinal in heat three.

All qualifiers had hopes of competing in Saturday night's final but they had to get through the semifinals first.

Heat One included Richardson, 2019 US national champ Teahna Daniels along with Sturgis and White who were teammates at North Carolina A&T during White's senior season in 2019.

Richardson ran an impressive time of 10.64, pointing to the clock before she approached the finish line. "I want the world to know I'm that girl," she said on NBC Sports Network after the race. "I'm never going to take an opportunity to perform in vain."

Daniels automatically qualified at 10.84, Jenna Prandini, 2015 NCAA 100 meters champ advanced as well crossing the line at 10.96.

In heat two, Hobbs was booted from the race due to a false start. Javianne Oliver won the final heat of the semifinal at 10.83. Thomas, who was thought by the TV announcers to have false started, did not and was able to qualify for the final with a time of 10.95. English Gardner, former University of Oregon sprinter, raced to a time of 10.96, making her an automatic qualifier as well.

The next two fastest qualifying times were ran by Kayla White (10.98) and Candace Hill (11.02).

In the final Hobbs was permitted to participate because her false start was said to be an inaccurate. Richardson once again pushed through to a 10.86 win, with Oliver (10.99) and Daniels (11.03) qualifying for the Olympics as well. Prandini was fourth at 11.11, Thomas placed fifth at 11.15, Gardner was sixth at 11.16, Hobbs finished at 11.20 for seventh place. White placed eighth at 11.22 and Candace Hill was ninth at 11.23.