The 100 meters in the U.S. Olympic trials in Eugene, Ore., was going to be perhaps the toughest ticket of all for Rio.
Keni Harrison — who had the five top times in the world this year, including an American record — found out the hard way.
Brianna Rollins, the former U.S. recordholder and 2013 world champion, breezed to the title on Friday in a scintillating 12.34 seconds, leading Kristi Castlin (12.50) and Nia Ali (12.55).
Harrison finished sixth and will not be in Rio. Another casualty: Dawn Harper-Nelson, who won gold in 2008 and silver in 2012, failed to make it out of the semifinals.
“It happened so fast,” Harrison said, clearly holding back tears. “I’ll have to watch film. It’s unfortunate, because my season was going so well. But this stuff happens.”
Rollins' time was the second-fastest in the world this year, another indication of the USA's strength and depth in the event. Entering the trials, Americans had run the 11 fastest times and 17 of the top 20 times in the event in 2016, creating a vastly greater level of competition at these trials than will be seen at the upcoming Games.
“We’re so dominant,” Castlin said after the first-round heats. “I can’t remember the last time someone from another country finished in front of me. It’s really exciting — it raises the bar. We have 11 of the top times in the world. That really just goes to show you how good we really are.”
Now, the USA has the top 18 times in the world this year.
Even though the world leader did not survive the brutal trials process, it's still only logical to expect the three U.S. hurdlers who advance through these brutal trials to then be viewed as the favorites to claim medals in Rio — with the same threesome at the head of the pack for gold, silver and bronze.
