DES MOINES, Iowa - Four Gators secured spots on Team USA Saturday with stellar performances in the men's 400 meters, men's 400-meter hurdles and women's 1,500 meters. Two current Gator All-Americans made the cut, including freshman Arman Hall (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) in the men's 400 meters and junior Cory McGee (Pass Christian, Miss.) in the women's 1,500 meters.
Hall was phenomenal Saturday, crossing the finish in 45.01 to nab his spot on Team USA with LaShawn Merritt and three-time Gator NCAA Champion and Olympic silver medalist Tony McQuay, who earned the silver in 44.74. Hall is coming off his career performance in the semifinals just a day earlier, running a new personal best of 44.82 to become the sixth-fastest performer all-time in U.S. Junior history. Hall's time was fourth all-time in Florida program history.
McGee defeated six professional athletes en route to her U.S. bronze medal in the women's 1,500 meters, including two-time Olympian and 2009 World bronze medalist, Nike's Shannon Rowbury. McGee ran a tactical race to finish in 4:29.70 and join Treniere Moser and prep phenom Mary Cain.
McGee has until July 20 to "standard chase," which means the Gator junior needs to run at least a B standard of 4:09.00 at a USATF-sanctioned event to earn the opportunity to compete in Moscow. McGee, the NCAA runner-up in the event in 2013, has a personal best of 4:10.55 from the Payton Jordan Invitational this spring.
Former Gator NCAA Champion Kerron Clement earned the opportunity to represent his country once again with his silver medalist finish in the men's 400-meter hurdles. Clement finished in 48.06 to punch his ticket to Moscow.
Three-time NCAA Champion Dedric Dukes (Miami, Fla.) advanced to the semifinals of the men's 200 meters, crossing in a windy 20.34 to finish as the second-fastest qualifier on time. He will race in the semifinals at 2:05 p.m. CT.
The 2013 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships and USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships finish up Sunday, June 23.
The event serves as qualification for the 14th IAAF World Outdoor Championships in Moscow, Russia, August 10-18, 2013. The top three finishers in each event at the USA Outdoor Championships advance to Moscow, provided the athlete has the A or B standard in his or her respective event.
There are 11 members of the 2013 Florida track & field rosters competing at the 2013 USA Outdoor Championships and two at the USA Junior Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Five-time USTFCCCA National Men's Coach of the Year Mike Holloway is the head men's coach for Team USA this summer. Holloway was a member of the Team USA coaching staff at the 2012 Olympic Games, working as the sprints and hurdles coach in London.
