(Reuters) – Grant Holloway won the 110 metres hurdles at the U.S. Olympic trials in a world lead of 12.86 seconds on Friday, as Gabby Thomas and Noah Lyles scorched their semi-final heats in the 200m.
The three-time world champion Holloway took the immediate lead and was undeterred even as he clipped the seventh barrier, leaning hard over the finish line for the fourth fastest time in history.
“It just speaks for itself,” Holloway said in televised remarks, as he booked a return trip to the Games after taking silver in Tokyo.
Freddie Crittenden was second in 12.93 while Daniel Roberts punched his ticket to Paris in 12.96, as they joined Holloway as the only three men to crack 13 seconds this year.
Sha’Carri Richardson seized the headlines earlier in the 10-day affair as she won the 100m and equalled her personal best to win her semi-final heat in the 200m in 21.92.
But the Tokyo bronze medallist Thomas was ready to take some of the spotlight for herself in her signature event, as she crossed the finish in 21.78 to win her heat in the fastest time of the year and send a message ahead of Saturday’s final.
“I know I’m in shape and I’m ready to run but it just felt like such a nice, controlled run for me and so, I don’t know, I didn’t expect to run that fast, feeling that good so it kind of excites me for tomorrow,” Thomas told reporters in Eugene, Oregon.
“I wouldn’t be surprised to see a big PB (personal best) tomorrow.”
Lyles put up a wind-aided 19.60 in the men’s 200m semi-final, finishing 0.29 seconds ahead of Christian Coleman, while as their younger challenger Erriyon Knighton had the third-fastest time of the day in 19.93.
“It felt real easy. I was very shocked to see that time pop up,” said Lyles, who won the 100m earlier at Hayward Field.
Tokyo silver medallist Kenny Bednarek also advanced in 19.96.
The 100 metres hurdles opening heats featured a familiar face as a 41-year-old Lolo Jones returned to the U.S. trials for the first time in 12 years, advancing to the semi-final as late scratches saw all the competitors move on.
The Tokyo 400 metres hurdles silver medallist Rai Benjamin eased into Sunday’s final in 47.97, along with CJ Allen (48.16) and Aldrich Bailey (48.69).
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by William Mallard)
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