Fifteen present and former Virginia athletes littered the sprawling 10-day United States Olympic Track and Field Trials, which concluded Sunday in Eugene, Ore. Some harbored fervent hopes of qualification, and others toted only the faintest of dreams. But ultimately, one Cavalier qualified for the Paris Olympics. The week and a half of intense competition whittled the flock of entrants to a handful of Olympians, and Class of 2019 alumna Bridget Williams was among them, winning the pole vault competition to reach her first Olympic games.
Eight current and seven former Virginia athletes participated, a significant uptick from the total of six who attended the 2021 trials. For some of the Virginia athletes, the trials were just a novel addition to the typical grueling competition season. For others, the trials were the culmination of years of teaching and preparation, and for Williams, it all paid off.
But Williams did not just qualify for the Olympics, and she did not just win the event. She did it all by usurping reigning Olympic champion Katie Moon. Williams skipped the opening height and cleared the next five on her first attempt — the only competitor to do so — sending her to the leaderboard’s summit, past Moon and a slew of past Olympians. The triumph only added success onto the Virginia cohort’s pile of results.
In addition to Williams, five of them reached the finals of their events. Current and former Virginia athletes pockmarked the 3000-meter steeplechase final, as senior Yasin Sado finished fifth, Class of 2023 alumnus Derek Johnson placed 10th and junior Nate Mountain ended in 11th. Sado’s time of 8:29.04 placed him second among collegiate athletes just a few weeks after taking seventh at the NCAA Championships.
Class of 2017 alumnus Henry Wynne finished sixth in the 1500-meter final, sneaking under the Olympic standard by 1.41 seconds despite failing to qualify. Senior Shane Cohen also placed sixth in the 800-meter final.
Two other current Virginia athletes reached their respective event’s semifinals. Junior Alex Sherman finished 21st in the 400-meter hurdles, and senior Wes Porter finished 19th in the 1500-meter event.
The other seven Virginia entrants failed to advance past the opening rounds. That group comprised three current athletes — junior Margot Appleton and sophomore Gary Martin in the 1500 meters and senior Jacob Lemmon in the discus throw — and four former athletes — Class of 2022 alumnus Ethan Dabbs of the javelin throw, Class of 2021 alumna Michaela Meyer in the 800 meters, Class of 2020 alumnus AJ Ernst of the 1500 meters and Class of 2019 alumna Kelly McKee of the triple jump.
The ever-approaching Olympics seem nearly atop us. But the Olympians themselves have remained mysteries until recently. The slots have filled in over the past few weeks, first slowly and now with accumulating rapidity as trials unfold and rosters are announced across sports. Cavaliers — current and former — have increasingly taken those slots. Seven of them made the swim team, two qualified in women’s tennis and one was selected to the women’s soccer roster.
Williams added to the list Sunday, surviving the intensity of the trials, an event that, for many, packs the most pressure of all. A triumph at the trials stamps an athlete an Olympian, for life, no matter what happens at the actual games. Leaping that hurdle, clearing that bar, is often the more daunting and monumental feat. By clearing six literal bars Sunday, Williams cleared the highest of figurative ones.
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