Don WilliamsLubbock Avalanche-Journal
The U.S. Olympic Trials for track and field resume Thursday with the second of two four-day sessions in Eugene, Oregon. Among Texas Tech's best hopes to earn spots on Team USA for the Paris Olympic Games are hurdlers Caleb Dean and Alaysha Johnson, long jumper Monae' Nichols and sprinter Courtney Lindsey.
Former South Plains College All-American Fred Kerley, the Olympic silver medalist in the 100-meter dash three years ago in Tokyo, has clinched a spot in that event for a second consecutive Olympics. Another SPC ex, Vernon Norwood, took fourth in the 400 meters and is a likely Team USA member in the relay pool.
Here are quick glances at current and former area athletes set to compete Thursday through Sunday at Hayward Field.
Related: Monae' Nichols, former Texas Tech all-American, medals at World Championships
Related: Former Texas Tech hurdler, U.S. champion Alaysha Johnson hitting her stride | Williams
Bryce Hoppel, Midland, 800 meters
The former Midland High star is a favorite to make his second consecutive Olympics. He's won six U.S. championships, including the past five in a row and was the indoor World Championships gold medalist in March.
Schedule: First round, 6:30 p.m. Thursday; semifinals, 8:44 p.m. Friday; final, 6:51 p.m. Sunday.
Jonah Koech, Texas Tech, 800 meters
Koech was a first-team All-American as a senior on Texas Tech's national championship team in 2019. He was runner-up to Hoppel two years ago at the U.S. championships.
Schedule: First round, 6:30 p.m. Thursday; semifinals, 8:44 p.m. Friday; final, 6:51 p.m. Sunday.
Related: Texas Tech ex Koech makes U.S. team for World Championships
Vincent Crisp, Texas Tech, 800 meters
Crisp finished fifth at this year's U.S. indoor championships. He was a first-team All-American on Texas Tech's national championship team in 2019, his senior year.
Schedule: First round, 6:30 p.m. Thursday; semifinals, 8:44 p.m. Friday; final, 6:51 p.m. Sunday.
Related: Tech's Vincent Crisp breaks NCAA record in indoor 600-yard run
C.J. Jones, Texas Tech, 800 meters
Jones ran for the Red Raiders from 2015-19, winning a Big 12 title in 2016 and finishing second and third twice each in the 800. He finished eighth in the 800 at last year's U.S. outdoor championships.
Schedule: First round, 6:30 p.m. Thursday; semifinals, 8:44 p.m. Friday; final, 6:51 p.m. Sunday.
Robert Dunning, South Plains College, 110-meter hurdles
Dunning won NJCAA championships in the 60-meter hurdles and the 110-meter hurdles as a South Plains freshman in 2017. He went on to win an NCAA championship in the 110 hurdles for Alabama in 2021, going undefeated in the event that season. He turned 27 on Sunday and made it through the Trials first round on Monday.
Schedule: Semifinals, 7:01 p.m. Thursday; final, 9:50 p.m. Friday.
Monae' Nichols, Texas Tech, long jump
Nichols has had a strong 2024 season, taking third at the U.S. indoor championships in February and second at the World Championships in March. She goes into the Olympic Trials seeded fifth with a mark of 22 feet, 5¾ inches.
Schedule: Qualifying, 8:18 p.m. Thursday; final, 7:20 p.m. Saturday.
Caleb Dean, Texas Tech, 400-meter hurdles
Dean this year won NCAA championships in the 60-meter indoor hurdles and the 400-meter outdoor hurdles, becoming the first man to pull off that double. Outside of Olympic silver medalist and American record holder Rai Benjamin, Dean is part of a wide-open field of contenders for the other two spots.
Schedule: first round, 8:20 p.m. Thursday; semifinals, 8:21 p.m. Friday; final, 7:20 p.m. Sunday.
Related: Texas Tech hurdler Caleb Dean among 3 finalists for Bowerman Award
Chris Robinson, South Plains College, 400-meter hurdles
Robinson won NJCAA championships in three events with South Plains College in 2021 and 2022. Since transferring to Alabama, he's set the 400 hurdles facility record (48.12) at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin and won the NCAA title in 2023.
Schedule: first round, 8:20 p.m. Thursday; semifinals, 8:21 p.m. Friday; final, 7:20 p.m. Sunday.
Devin Roberson, Texas Tech, discus
The two-time Big 12 champion finished 10th at the NCAA outdoor two weeks ago in Eugene.
Schedule: First round, 8:45 p.m. Thursday; final, 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Simone Watkins, Texas Tech, 400-meter hurdles
The two-time state champion hurdler from Frisco ran for Tech from 2020-23. She transferred to Howard University this year, won the MEAC title in the 400 hurdles and made her first appearance at the NCAA championships.
Schedule: First round, 8:49 p.m. Thursday; semifinals, 7:41 p.m. Saturday; final, 7:29 p.m. Sunday.
Courtney Lindsey, Texas Tech, 200 meters
As a Tech senior in 2023, Lindsey won the 100 and got second in the 200 at the NCAA outdoor championships. On Sunday, he finished sixth in the 100. The 19.71-second 200 he ran two months ago is the third-fastest qualifying time in the trials, behind Noah Lyles' 19.47 and Kenny Bednarek's 19.67.
Schedule: First round, 9:33 p.m. Thursday; semifinals, 9:28 p.m. Friday; final, 8:49 p.m. Saturday.
Fred Kerley, South Plains College, 200 meters
Kerley's won seven medals in global competition among sprints and relays. He's already on Team USA for Paris in the 100, and his 200-meter qualifying time for the trials, 19.86, is fifth fastest in the field.
Schedule: First round, 9:33 p.m. Thursday; semifinals, 9:28 p.m. Friday; final, 8:49 p.m. Saturday.
Alaysha Johnson, Texas Tech, 100-meter hurdles
The 100-meter hurdles is a marquee event for the American women, with former world record holder Keni Harrison, former world champion Nia Ali, collegiate record holder Masai Russell and world silver medalist Christina Clemons, among others. Six U.S. women have run sub-12.50 qualifying times. That includes Johnson, a 2019 Tech graduate who was second two years ago at the U.S. championships and last year's U.S. champion in the 60 hurdles.
Schedule: First round, 7:28 p.m. Friday; semifinals, 7:04 p.m. Saturday; final, 7 p.m. Sunday.
Stacy Brown Jr., Texas Tech, triple jump
A first-year transfer from Texas, Brown went a season-best 53-11¾ in March. He finished fifth and third in the triple jump at the Big 12 indoor and outdoor meets.
Schedule: Qualifying, 8:20 p.m. Friday; final, 5:55 p.m. Sunday.
Omar Craddock, triple jump
From 2012-15, Craddock was a three-time NCAA champion at Florida and a three-time U.S. champion. The 33-year-old is a son of Lubbock natives and attended early elementary school in Littlefield. He jumped a personal record 58-0 ¼ in 2019.
Schedule: Qualifying, 8:20 p.m. Friday; final, 5:55 p.m. Sunday.
