Except for one, barely perceptible eyelid, this would have been a top 10 for the US track and field team.
With the game over, the Americans won nine home medals on Sunday at the World Championships in what will be one of the most memorable days for the Red, White, and Blue in its long and successful history. It was the best single medal day for a nation in the world, according to the organizers.
Devon Allen’s false start kept the United States from a potential sweep in the 110m hurdles final and what could have been his 10th medal of the day. He will now take his talents to the NFL, where he will try Make the list for the Philadelphia Eagles. It was hardly the way he wanted to end up in the realms.
“Track and field is really tough because you train all year for one competition that lasts 12, 13 seconds and that’s it,” said the 27-year-old, who begins his training camp with the Eagles on July 26. “I’ll learn from him and make sure I don’t react too quickly next time.”
Allen’s disappointment hardly spoiled the day the Star-Spangled Banner taping faded. It started with a hammer throw, with Brock Anderson taking the gold and Jani Casanavuid taking the bronze.
It was a warm-up for the night session, accumulating seven medals within 10 minutes.
The women’s pole vaulters led the race with Katie Nugget and Sandy Morris taking 1-2 positions. Moments later – and after a delay as Allen unsuccessfully defended his case to stay in the race – Grant Holloway defended his title in the hurdles, with Trey Cunningham close in second.
Around the same time, the American batsmen concluded a podium sweep with two-time Olympic champion Ryan Crozier taking gold, Joe Kovacs silver and Josh Otonde taking bronze.
It all came on an evening after Fred Curley, Marvin Prause and Trayvon Brommel Men’s 100m swept. It made Crozier think about what was possible in this event.
“My heart rate was probably 120, 130,” he said of watching the men’s 100m race. “Maybe I shouldn’t have watched it because I had a hard time calming down again. I had to make a mental note to take a few deep breaths and say, ‘I don’t have to compete right now.’ It’s great to see Team USA sweep.”
With their big medals on Sunday, the Americans now have six gold medals and 14 total medals. The second largest of the three medalists each from Ethiopia, Poland, China and Jamaica, that swept 100 women to close the night.
“It shows how amazing it is on home soil and at Hayward Field,” Nugget said of the show by the Americans. “Hayward Magic is real…just seeing how many people made it to the semi-finals, then to the finals, then winning the medal, you watch and it’s inspiring.”
Allen looked like a lock to add to the medal race. But he left very quickly according to the sensors. His reaction time was 0.099 in the final, which earned him the red card. That was just a fraction less than his semi-final reaction time, which was 0.101. But the rules are rules and reaction time – which is measured by sensors in the starting gun and on the blocks – less than 0.1 is considered a false start.
“Anything can happen in track and field,” Holloway said. “My hat goes to Devon. I didn’t want to send it that way but that’s what it is.”
Allen said this would make him more “hungry” to succeed on the football field and track.
“My goal is to be the best hurdles player ever and I still have a chance to do that,” said Allen, who was an elite track and fielder at the University of Oregon. “My goal is to play in NFL And helping the Eagles win the Super Bowl.”
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