EUGENE, Ore. – Five former LSU athletes took another step on their Road To Rio on Thursday at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials as Rodney Brown advanced to the men’s discus final in the field and Quincy Downing, Jasmin Stowers, Tenaya Jones and Cassandra Tate each advanced to semifinals on the track at Hayward Field.
Stowers opened the action on the trackl by winning the third preliminary heat of the women’s 100-meter hurdles with the third-fastest time of the day at 12.65 seconds to finish ahead of Nia Ali (12.68).
Stowers, who set her 2016 seasonal best of 12.55 on the same Hayward Field track while running at the Prefontaine Classic back in May, advanced to Thursday’s semifinal that will run at 7:02 p.m. CT. Jones took fourth in the same qualifying heat as Stowers as she was a timed qualifier into the semifinal after running 13.09 (+0.9) with the 19th-fastest time of the day.
Tate followed by winning the fourth preliminary heat of the women’s 400-meter hurdles in 55.94 as she beat Tiffany Williams (56.06) across the finish line. Tate is looking to make her first U.S. Olympic Team a year after earning her spot on Team USA for the IAAF World Championships where she brought home the bronze medal in the event from Beijing.
Also lining up in the qualifying round of the women’s 400 hurdles on Thursday night was Lady Tiger sophomore Kymber Payne, who ran 58.97 in the third heat for 24th place overall in the competition.
Downing carried the momentum into the first round of qualifying in the men’s 400-meter hurdles as he was an automatic qualifier as the second-place finisher in the fourth heat. Downing clocked the fifth-fastest time of the day at 49.94 as he followed Khallifah Rosser (49.89) through the tape in their section.
Brown was among the Top 12 qualifiers in the men’s discus throw to earn a return trip to the ring for Friday’s final when he threw 193 feet, 0 inches on his second attempt to take ninth place on the night. The marks for each of the 12 competitors will be reset for the event final on Friday beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT as three spots on Team USA for the Olympic Games will be awarded following the competition.
Stepping on the runway in Thursday’s final in the women’s triple jump was 2014 U.S. Outdoor Bronze Medalist Lynnika Pitts, who posted a series-best of 43-6 (+0.2) on her second jump for eighth place overall.
In other action at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, junior All-American Rebekah Wales placed 18th overall in women’s javelin qualifying as she threw a best of 167-1 on her third attempt of the prelims. Aaron Ernest, a former 11-time All-American during his collegiate career with the Tigers, ran 21.16 (+0.9) for sixth place in the fifth heat and 33rd place overall in the men’s 200-meter dash.
LSU’s Entries at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials
Note: Times are Central and subject to change due to weather and athlete advancement.
Friday, July 8
TV Coverage: NBC Sports Network (5 p.m. CT); NBC (7 p.m. CT)
5:02 p.m. – Men’s 110 Hurdles First Round (Jordan Moore, Joshua Thompson, Ryan Fontenot)
5:30 p.m. – Women’s 200 Meters First Round (Kimberlyn Duncan, Jada Martin)
5:30 p.m. – Men’s Discus Final (Rodney Brown)
5:58 p.m. – Women’s 100 Hurdles Semifinals (Jasmin Stowers, Tenaya Jones)
6:31 p.m. – Women’s 400 Hurdles Semifinals (Cassandra Tate)
6:47 p.m. – Men’s 400 Hurdles Semifinals (Quincy Downing)
7:54 p.m. – Women’s 100 Hurdles Final (Jasmin Stowers, Tenaya Jones)
Saturday, July 9
TV Coverage: NBC (7 p.m. CT)
6:25 p.m. – Men’s 110 Hurdles Semifinals (Jordan Moore, Joshua Thompson, Ryan Fontenot)
7:03 p.m. – Women’s 200 Meters Semifinals (Kimberlyn Duncan, Jada Martin)
7:52 p.m. – Men’s 110 Hurdles Final (Jordan Moore, Joshua Thompson, Ryan Fontenot)
Sunday, July 10
TV Coverage: NBC (6 p.m. CT)
6:03 p.m. – Women’s 400 Hurdles Final (Cassandra Tate)
6:51 p.m. – Men’s 400 Hurdles Final (Quincy Downing)
7:11 p.m. – Women’s 200 Meters Final (Kimberlyn Duncan, Jada Martin)