Six current or former Bulldogs advanced to later rounds during the opening day of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., on Friday.
Former sprinter Lynna Irby (women’s 400-meter dash), sophomore Anna Hall (women’s high jump), junior Elija Godwin (men’s 400m) along with sophomore Jasmine Moore, junior Titiana Marsh and former standout Keturah Orji (women’s triple jump) punched their tickets to the next round at the Trials.
Eleven current Bulldogs and eight former Georgia standouts will compete in their home country’s Trials on June 18-27. The top three finishers in each event at the Trials will advance to the Olympic Games in Tokyo on July 23-August 8, barring they have the standard mark/time necessary in their event.
Irby, who has the Olympic Standard time necessary to advance to the Games in the 400m, was second in her heat and overall after completing a lap in 50.91. She will return to action in the 400m semifinal on Saturday at 10:20 p.m. ET.
Hall opened her meet in the high jump and will also line up in the heptathlon late next week. On Friday, she posted a second attempt clearance at 6 feet, 1 ½ inches and finished eighth in the qualifying group. She will battle for a ticket to Tokyo on Sunday in the final at 8:50 p.m.
Also of note, fellow sophomore Shelby Tyler tied for 21st in her first Trials experience with a clearance of 5-9.75.
Godwin, a native of Covington, Ga., won his heat in the first round of the 400m to automatically qualify for the semifinalist and finished with the second-best time of the round with a 44.81. He will race in the semifinal round at 10:35 p.m. on Saturday.
The Lady Bulldogs put through all three of their entrants in the triple jump to the final. Orji, the collegiate record holder and eight-time NCAA champion, soared 46-10.75 on her second attempt to have the top qualifying effort. Moore, who is coming off a runner-up finish in the triple at the NCAA Championships on the same runway June 12, also had her top distance on her second try, going 46-0.75 to take second. Finally, Marsh, who was a First Team All-American this year in the event, surged from outside the 20s to the ninth position (12 qualify) after her third attempt measured 44-0.75. This Bulldog group will aim to finish in the top three of the triple jump final on Sunday at 8:55 p.m.
On Saturday, current Bulldog Kyle Garland and former Georgia champions Garrett Scantling and Devon Williams will begin the decathlon at 4 p.m. to start the second day of action.