Utah natives finish 1-2 in their heat, advance to women’s 3,000 steeplechase final at U.S. Olympic trials

Grayson Murphy wins the first heat of the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Sunday, June 20, 2021, in Eugene, Ore. Murphy, a West High grad who ran at the University of Utah, qualified for the 3,000 steeplechase final, along with BYU’s Courtney Wayment, a Davis High grad. The pair finished 1-2 in the day’s first heat. | Chris Carlson, Associated Press

Former University of Utah runner Grayson Murphy won Sunday’s first heat just ahead of BYU’s Courtney Wayment, as the pair, along with Weber State’s Summer Allen, qualified for Thursday’s final

Grayson Murphy and Courtney Wayment, two Utah natives and Utah collegians, finished 1-2 in their heat of the 3,000-meter steeplechase Sunday to advance to Thursday night’s finals in the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials.

Murphy, a West High grad who completed her eligibility at the University of Utah in 2018, passed American record holder Courtney Frerichs late in the race to take the lead and crossed the finish line first with a personal-best time of 9:25.37.

Wayment, a Davis High grad who won two NCAA championships for BYU this year, crossed the finish line next with a time of 9:27.17, more than three seconds faster than her previous best time.

The Olympic standard is 9:30.0.

Murphy and Wayment wound up with the day’s third and fourth fastest times, respectively. Emma Coburn, the former world champion, and Leah Falland ran faster times in the second heat, 9:21.32 and 9:23.36. Weber State’s Summer Allen, an Orem High grad also racing in the second heat, ran the 14th fastest time of the day, at 9:38.61, to qualify for the final.

The top three finishers in Thursday’s final will represent the U.S. in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. But if one of them lacks an Olympic qualifying time by the time the Games begin, they would be replaced by the next fastest athlete with a qualifying time.

from Deseret News https://ift.tt/3wLuOIT