Donavan Brazier out of Tokyo in US Team Trials shock

Donavan Brazier out of Tokyo in US Team Trials shock

AW
Published: 22nd June, 2021
Updated: 4th February, 2025
BY Athletics Weekly
World 800m champion fails to make American team but triple jumper Will Claye and 1500m runner Elle Purrier deliver on day four of the Olympic trials in Eugene

Clayton Murphy stormed to victory in the men's 800m at the US Team Trials in Eugene as world champion Donavan Brazier faltered and finished a disappointed last.

Murphy, who won Olympic bronze five years ago, powered past Isaiah Jewett in the closing stages to run a world lead of 1:43.17. Jewett had led through 400m in 50.60 and 600m in 75.65 – a pace that Brazier struggled to stay in touch with and the favourite began to drift backwards around the final turn.

Jewett took second in 1:43.85 as Bryce Hoppel finished third in 1:44.14.

Will Claye soared out to 17.21m in the final round of the triple jump to win his fourth US title. Runner-up was Donald Scott with 17.18m as Chris Benard was third with 17.01m.

Elle Purrier St Pierre survived an early scare when she was pushed off the track briefly to come back to win the women's 1500m in a PB of 3:58.03. Cory McGee ran a PB too in second place with 4:00.67 as Heather MacLean finished strongly to take third in 4:02.09 as the trio claimed their spots in the US team.

Purrier led from gun to tape in a race that saw Jenny Simpson, who was aiming to make her fourth Olympic team, back in 10th, while US record-holder Shelby Houlihan, of course, was forced to miss the meeting due to her recent anti-doping suspension.

Elle Purrier with Corey Magee and Heather MacLean (TrackTown USA)

In very hot temperatures the women's 5000m saw a slow pace for the first 3000m but as the race built to a crescendo Elise Cranny produced a 63.73 last lap to win in 15:27.81 as Karissa Scheizer was a close second and Rachel Schneider third.

Chris Nilsen won a high-quality men's pole vault with 5.90m as world champion Sam Kendricks and KC Lightfoot tied for second place with 5.85m.

Elsewhere, Curtis Thompson won the javelin with 82.78m as Michael Shuey and Riley Dolezal finished in second and third.

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