Despite the blistering heat and race delays at the historic Hayward Field, records were broken and dreams became a reality at the 2021 Track & Field Olympic Trials. Boost Treadmills saw several teams represented, including Bowerman Track Club, Reebok Boston Track Club, Brooks Beasts, and several colleges including Oregon and Texas A&M.
Bowerman Track Club
Bowerman Track Club saw major success across the board, with six athletes qualifying for Tokyo in at least one event. On the men’s side, 12-time All-American and Stanford alum Grant Fisher claimed 2nd in the 5k in a time of 13:27.01, right on the heels of Rio Silver medalist Paul Chelimo. He plans on doubling at the Olympics, also qualifying for the 10k with a 2nd place finish behind teammate Woody Kincaid. Kincaid, two-time all-American and former Portland Pilot, snagged first in 27:53.62 and finished 3rd behind Chelimo and Fisher in the 5k.
Olympic gold medalist and Oregon alum Matt Centrowitz narrowly missed the 1500m title in an all-out sprint down the straightaway, but still punched his ticket to the Olympics with a 2nd place finish behind Oregon Duck Cole Hocker. Hocker upset the field in the men’s 1500m, edging out Centrowitz to finish in a personal best of 3:35.28. At just 20 years old, he will be the youngest U.S. Olympian in the event since 1968.
On the women’s side, 5 x NCAA Champion and Mizzou alum Karissa Schweizer finished 2nd in both the 5k and 10k, becoming only the 5th American woman to qualify for both events at the same Olympics. Schweizer ran the 5k in a blistering 15:28.11, right on the heels of teammate and Stanford alum Elise Cranny who finished in a season-best time of 15:27.81. Both Cranny and Schweizer will be making their Olympic debuts in Tokyo. American-record holder Courtney Frerichs will be making her second Olympic appearance, qualifying in the 3000m Steeplechase with a 2nd place finish in 9:11.79 behind New Balance’s Emma Coburn.
Reebok Boston Track Club
Reebok Boston Track Club will have two athletes represented at the Olympics. European 3000m champion and University of Washington alum Amy-Eloise Neale will be representing Great Britain in the 5k after a slightly bumpy ride. Although she placed second at the trials and had already run the Olympic standard in May, her qualifying race was in question due to cones being placed inside the track instead of rails. After a nail-biting 48 hours of waiting for the decision from World Athletics, her time was deemed acceptable and she will officially be heading to Tokyo. Toronto native and 2017 NCAA Cross Country National Champion Justyn Knight cruised right on through to the Olympics with two automatic qualifications in the 1500m and 5k. He achieved the 1500m Olympic standard at the USATF Golden Games in a personal-best time of 3:33.41, and the 5k standard at the Diamond League meet in 12:51.93, also a personal-best and the 3rd fastest all-time among Canadian men.
Brooks Beasts
Josh Kerr of the Brooks Beasts will be making his Olympic debut in Tokyo, representing the UK in the 1500m after automatically qualifying at the British Championships in a time of 3:40.72.
U.S. Army WCAP
Benard Keter, soldier-athlete with the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program, finished 2nd in the men’s 3000m steeplechase in a time of 8:21.81, right behind friend and former soldier-athlete Hillary Bor. Bor, winner of the Boost 5k American record attempt, will be making his second Olympic appearance after finishing 7th in the event at Rio in 2016.
Nike
Rio Silver medalist Paul Chelimo took home the 5k title, edging out BTC’s Fisher and Kincaid in a time of 13:26.82 to make his way to his second Olympics. At only 19 years old, Texas A&M’s Athing Mu won the women’s 800m with a meet record, personal-best, and world-leading time this year of 1:56.07. Mu recently went pro, signing with Nike before the trials.
The 2021 Summer Olympics are set to begin on Friday, July 23rd, with all of the track and field action taking place July 30th-August 8th. We are so honored to have so many Boost users represented this year!
Boost Treadmills facilities represented at the 2021 Olympics:
- Bowerman Track Club
- Reebok Boston Track Club
- Brooks Beasts
- Texas A&M
- University of Oregon
- University of Portland
- University of Missouri
- University of Washington