Kendall Ellis Qualifies For Paris Olympics By Winning Women’s 400m Title At U.S. Olympic T&F Team Trials

Track & Field | June 23, 2024

Kendall Ellis made the U.S. Olympic team by winning the women’s 400m national title and Michael Norman advanced to the men’s 400m final during the third day of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. today (June 23).  Additionally, after four events in the heptathlon, Allie Jones is in fourth place with three events to go. 

• Kendall Ellis (USC, 2018) ran her way onto Team USA as she won the women’s 400m national title with a PR of 49.46, going from fourth to first over the final 100m. She ran 49.81 in the semifinals yesterday, which was her fastest 400m race since running a USC-record 49.99 in 2018.  Ellis also made the 2020 Tokyo Olympics team in the relays and won a gold medal with the women’s 4x400m relay and a bronze medal with the mixed 4x400m relay.
• Michael Norman (USC, 2018) won his men’s 400m semifinal heat with a time of 45.30 to automatically advance to Monday’s final at 6:59 p.m. as the top two in each heat, plus the next three fastest times of the three heats advanced.  Senior Johnnie Blockburger made a strong stretch run in the same heat, but placed third with a time of 45.63, 0.04 seconds out of second and finished 17^th overall.  Sophomore William Jones was fourth in the same heat and 21^st overall with a time of 46.19.
• Allie Jones (USC, 2024) is in fourth place in the heptathlon with 3763 points after four events.  The final three events – long jump, javelin throw and 800m – will take place tomorrow.  Jones took second in the 100m H (13.02, 1121 points), ninth in the high jump (5-8.00, 891 points), 14^th in the shot put (40-7.25, 706 points) and second in the 800m (PR of 23.34, 1045 points).  She ends the first day 121 points out of first and 98 points out of third place.
• Sophomore Max Thomas had a time of 10.35 (+3.0w) to finish 25^th in the men’s 100m semifinal.  He will next be in action in the 200m prelims on Thursday.

Current and graduated Trojans in action tomorrow at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials include Di’Niko Bates (M – 110m H prelims), Johnny Brackins Jr. (M – LJ final), Allie Jones (W – Heptathlon final day) and Michael Norman (M – 400m final).