University of Tennessee Athletics
Coleman, Blankenship Shine on Day 2 of U.S. Trials
July 02, 2016 | Track & Field
TENNESSEE ON TEAM USA
Women's Long Jump - Tianna Bartoletta (VFL, formerly Tianna Madison)
EUGENE, Ore. -- Tennessee stars Christian Coleman and Jake Blankenship shined, VFL Tianna Bartoletta made Team USA in the women's long jump and several VFLs advanced on Saturday's Day 2 of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials at Hayward Field.
Coleman ran an incredible 9.96 (+2.4) in the men's 100-meter first round, good for the second fastest-time of the day and a spot in Sunday's semifinals at 4:19 p.m. PT/7:19 p.m. ET. In his return to the track where he earned NCAA silver medals in the 100 meters and 200 meters less than a month ago, Coleman took first place in a loaded second heat that featured professionals Tyson Gay, Remontay McClain and Dentarius Locke. Gay, McClain and Locke also advanced to the semifinal. VFL Justin Gatlin (Nike) also advanced to the 100-meter semifinals, running the seventh-best time of 10.03 (+1.8) to take the second heat.
Blankenship tied for first place in the men's pole vault qualifying, clearing 5.55 meters (18-2.50). Blankenship, who won the NCAA men's outdoor pole vault title last month at Hayward Field, will compete against 11 others in the final on Monday, July 4, at 3:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. ET. The top three finishers in the final will earn a spot on Team USA.
VFL Tianna Bartoletta earned a spot on Team USA in the women's long jump. Bartoletta, competing for Nike, had the second-best distance in Saturday's final at 7.02 meters (23-0.50), clearing that distance on her first try. She also competed in the women's 100-meter first round and advanced to the semifinals with the No. 8 time of 11.03 (+0.8).
In the women's 800-meter semifinals, VFL Phoebe Wright (Nike) ran the eighth-fastest time of 2:01.39 to advance to Monday's final at 5:42 p.m. PT/8:42 p.m. ET. VFL Chanelle Price (Nike) clocked the 11th-best time at 2:01.94.
VFL DeeDee Trotter finished 16th in the women's 400-meter semifinals with a time of 54.01. After the race, she took to social media to announce that she was retiring from track and field after a distinguished career. Trotter earned seven medals for the U.S., including a pair of Olympic golds in the 4x400 (2004 Athens, 2012 London) and an Olympic bronze in the 400 meters (2012 London).
Chelsea Blaase took 16th place in the women's 10,000 meters, clocking in at 34:10.15. VFL Liz Costello, running for New Balance/NB Boston, finished sixth in 32:31.81.
Three Tennessee stars will be in action on Sunday, July 3. Coleman and Gatlin will run in the men's 100-meter semifinals at 4:19 p.m. PT/7:19 p.m. ET with the finals shortly after at 5:53 p.m. PT/8:53 p.m. ET. Bartoletta will run in the women's 100-meter semis at 4:02 p.m. PT/7:02 p.m. ET with the final at 5:44 p.m. PT/8:44 p.m. ET.
JAMAICAN TRIALS: Tennessee's Kali Davis-White is scheduled to run in the women's 200-meter prelims at the Jamaican Senior National Championships (Olympic Trials) on Saturday. Stay tuned to UTSports.com on updates regarding the results of that race.
AWESOME!!! Tennessee's @__coleman runs a 9.96 100m in @usatf first round to advance to semis!! #2 time! #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/TdmLHyLKGh
-- UT Track & Field/XC (@Vol_Track) July 2, 2016
On to the next! Interviews with tons of #TrackTown16 heat winners on https://t.co/OydwxwBrTq! #TrackTown16 pic.twitter.com/qauaqNX50L
-- USATF (@usatf) July 2, 2016
CONGRATS to our women's long jump qualifiers! 💪@DaLJBeast, @HensleyTianna, & @JanayDeLoach: WELCOME to #TeamUSA!🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/d2arrejb1c
-- U.S. Olympic Team (@TeamUSA) July 2, 2016
Farewell Track & Field... My gift, my blessing, my toughest critic, and my secret love. It's... https://t.co/ucp9P13nf0
-- DeeDee Trotter (@DTrott400m) July 2, 2016
Below is a list of U.S. Olympic Trials events featuring 12 VFLs and four current Tennessee student-athletes.
Men's 100m
Justin Gatlin (Nike) - No. 1 qualifying mark - 9.77
Christian Coleman (Tennessee) - No. 14 qualifying mark - 10.03
First Round (Saturday, July 2): 2. Christian Coleman, 9.96 (+2.4)Q; 6. Justin Gatlin, 10.03 (+1.8)Q
Semifinals: Sunday, July 3, at 4:19 p.m. PT/7:19 p.m. ET
Final: Sunday, July 3, at 5:53 p.m. PT/8:53 p.m. ET
Men's 200m
Justin Gatlin (Nike) - No. 1 qualifying mark - 19.74
Christian Coleman (Tennessee) - No. 20 qualifying mark - 20.26
First Round: Thursday, July 7, at 5:30 p.m. PT/8:30 p.m. ET
Semifinals: Friday, July 8, at 5:37 p.m. PT/8:37 p.m. ET
Final: Saturday, July 9, at 5:42 p.m. PT/8:42 p.m. ET
Men's 400m
Nathan Strother (Tennessee) - No. 8 qualifying mark - 45.07
First Round (Friday, July 1): 23. Nathan Strother, 46.36
Men's 110m Hurdles
Aries Merritt (Nike) - No. 5 qualifying mark - 13.24
First Round: Friday, July 8, at 3:02 p.m. PT/6:02 p.m. ET
Semifinals: Saturday, July 9, at 4:25 p.m. PT/7:25 p.m. ET
Final: Saturday, July 9, at 5:52 p.m. PT/8:52 p.m. ET
Men's Discus
Tavis Bailey - No. 4 qualifying mark - 65.82m
Qualifying: Thursday, July 7, at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET
Final: Friday, July 8, at 3:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. ET
Men's Pole Vault
Jake Blankenship - No. 3 qualifying mark - 5.72m
Qualifying (Saturday, July 2): T1. Jake Blankenship, 5.55m (18-2.50)q
Final: Monday, July 4, at 3:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. ET
Women's 100m
Tianna Bartoletta (Nike) - No. 6 qualifying mark - 10.94
First Round (Saturday, July 2): 8. Tianna Bartoletta, 11.03 (+0.8)Q
Semifinals: Sunday, July 3, at 4:02 p.m. PT/7:02 p.m. ET
Final: Sunday, July 3, at 5:44 p.m. PT/8:44 p.m. ET
Women's 200m
Felicia Brown - No. 8 qualifying mark - 22.26
First Round: Friday, July 8, at 3:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. ET
Semifinals: Saturday, July 9, at 5:03 p.m. PT/8:03 p.m. ET
Final: Sunday, July 10, at 5:11 p.m. PT/8:11 p.m. ET
Women's 400m
DeeDee Trotter - No. 14 qualifying mark - 51.24
First Round (Friday, July 1): 10. DeeDee Trotter, 52.01Q
Semifinals (Saturday, July 2): 16. DeeDee Trotter, 54.01
Women's 800m
Chanelle Price (Nike) - No. 4 qualifying mark - 1:59.10
Phoebe Wright (Nike) - No. 13 qualifying mark - 2:00.61
First Round (Friday, July 1): 5. Chanelle Price, 2:01.13; 7. Phoebe Wright, 2:01.35
Semifinals (Saturday, July 2): 8. Phoebe Wright, 2:01.39q; 11. Chanelle Price, 2:01.94
Final: Monday, July 4, at 5:42 p.m. PT/8:42 p.m. ET
Women's 1,500m
Sarah Brown (New Balance) - No. 3 qualifying mark - 4:03.20
First Round: Thursday, July 7, at 6:26 p.m. PT/9:26 p.m. ET
Semifinals: Friday, July 8, at 5:03 p.m. PT/8:03 p.m. ET
Final: Sunday, July 10, at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET
Women's 5,000m
Liz Costello (New Balance / New Balance Boston) - No. 23 qualifying mark - 15:28.88
First Round: Friday, July 7, at 4:20 p.m. PT/7:20 p.m. ET
Final: Sunday, July 10, at 4:28 p.m. PT/7:28 p.m. ET
Women's 10,000m
Liz Costello (New Balance / New Balance Boston) - No. 6 qualifying mark - 31:43.79
Chelsea Blaase (Tennessee) - No. 17 qualifying mark - 32:08.39
Final (Saturday, July 2): 6. Liz Costello, 32:31.81; 16. Chelsea Blaase, 34:10.15
Women's 400m Hurdles
Ellen Wortham - No. 30 qualifying mark - 56.91
First Round: Thursday, July 7, at 5:58 p.m. PT/8:58 p.m. ET
Semifinals: Friday, July 8, at 4:31 p.m. PT/7:31 p.m. ET
Final: Sunday, July 10, at 4:03 p.m. PT/7:03 p.m. ET
Women's Long Jump
Tianna Bartoletta (Nike) - No. 2 qualifying mark - 7.14m
Qualifying (Friday, July 1): 3. Tianna Bartoletta, 6.77m (22-2.50, +2.7)
Final (Saturday, July 2): 2. Tianna Bartoletta, 7.02m (23-0.50, +2.3) -- EARNS A SPOT ON TEAM USA
Women's Shot Put
Cassie Wertman (Tennessee) - No. 20 qualifying mark - 17.68m
Qualifying: Thursday, July 7, at 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET
Final: Thursday, July 7 at 6:15 p.m. PT/9:15 p.m. ET
