The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Tara Davis-Woodhall clinches spot on Team USA at the Olympics in long jump
06.29.2024 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Davis-Woodhall crowned USA National Long Jump champion
EUGENE, Ore. – Texas Ex and NCAA long jump collegiate record holder Tara Davis-Woohall earned a spot on Team USA at the 2024 Olympics in long jump on Saturday night at the USA Track and Field Team Trials.
Davis-Woodhall kept the competition on its toes after recording two opening fouls. Her third attempt of 6.64m (21-9.50) moved her to fifth place and advanced her to the finals for three added jumps. Her fifth-round jump of 7.00m (22-11.75) earned her the USA national title and clinched her spot at her second Olympic Games.
She becomes the first Longhorn to earn a berth to the Olympics twice in her career. She's also just the second Longhorn – male or female – to be a two-time Olympian in the long jump joining Richard Duncan who competed for Canada in 1996 and 2000.
On the track in Eugene, rising sophomore Akala Garrett earned the final qualifying spot in Sunday's 400-meter hurdle finals with her time 55.34. Garrett is the only teenager in the field of nine to reach the finals and was the youngest to reach the semis.
At the Jamaica National Championships, Ackelia Smith earned her second medal of the meet finishing second in the triple jump with a mark of 14.44m (47-4.50). Rising sophomore Aaliyah Foster won the U-20 long jump with her jump of 6.18m (20-3.50) and gave the Longhorns a sweep in both women's long jump competitions after Smith won the senior event on Friday.
Texas Ex Lanae-Tava Thomas won her heat in the 200-meter prelims with a time of 23.04 and Kevona Davis finished with the sixth-fastest time overall at 23.37 for both to advance to Sunday's final.
In the 400-meter dash, Texas Ex Stacey-Ann Williams won Heat 3 in 50.93 to advance to the finals. Williams hit the Olympic standard and also posted the second-fastest qualifying time of the night. She'll compete in Sunday's final at 5:20 pm.
And in Canada at the Team Trials, Texas Ex Mariam Abdul-Rashid won the 100-meter hurdles with her time of 12.83.
