Olympics End for Former Sooners

NORMAN – Ronnie Ash had a wonderful semifinal race in the 110-meter hurdles in the Olympics in Rio Tuesday afternoon, posting the sixth fastest time and earning an automatic qualifying spot in the final. After Monday night's round one race, he talked about needing a clean run with no hurdles hit.

“It was no coming back against those guys. They were ahead and it was hard to come back when I got sloppy and it took me out,” Ash said. “I was giving more grit than technique. In the 110 hurdles, you still have to focus on technique between those barriers because they aren't going to move. You have to clear those.”

As it turned out, his concern about a clean run was warranted as Ash hit several hurdles during the final later Tuesday. The 10^th hurdle actually tripped Ash and the result was an eighth-place finish. His time, initially recorded, was much lower than either of the times he had in the first round (13.31) and the semifinal (13.36). Eventually, the time was wiped off the board as Ash was disqualified.

“Beijing (the IAAF World Championships) last year was a bit rough for me. I actually made it to the finals so it's an up for me,” Ash added. “I'm an Olympian right now, so that's obviously a plus within itself because not everyone gets to make the USA Track and Field Olympic team.

“I don't want to settle there. You don't come here just to be an Olympian. You come here to stand on that podium. I didn't but I am going to work just as hard to get back there.”

And so, his first trip to the Olympic Games comes to an end for the former Sooner All-American.

Brittan Borman

His wasn't the only Olympic experience that came to end on Day 5 of the track and field. Brittany Borman, whose disappointment at a fourth-place finish in the U.S. Olympic Trials, was eliminated when she found herself on the U.S. team after an athlete who finished ahead of her did not have the Olympic qualifying mark. After an injury-plagued two years, it appeared things were turning around for the former Sooner.

Borman, in her second Olympic Games, finished 15^th in the first flight of the first round with a 183-10. With that result, her competition in Rio ended as it took a 202-2.00 to advance to the 12-woman final. Nine of the 12 qualifiers had the automatic qualifying mark of 206-8.00.

Eric Cray was the final former Sooner to be eliminated on Tuesday night. After a strong showing in the first round, he posted a 49.37 in the semifinal. That time placed him seventh in his heat and 17^th overall. The top 12 times advanced to the Thursday night final. He ran a 49.05 in the first round and it took at least a 48.64 to advance to the final.

"I feel good. Things didn't go how I wanted them to but I'm happy that I was able to make it this far,” Cray, who competed for the Philippines, said. "I'll be back in 2020."

There was one former Sooner who had quite a day Tuesday. For Will Claye, it took a career-best 58-3.25 but it was enough to win the silver medal in the triple jump, a repeat performance from the 2012 London Olympics. Claye got the legal mark on his first jump of the competition. His other two legal jumps were well short of his initial effort. He entered today's competition with a season best of 57-11.0 and a PR of 58-3.00.

He finished second to another American jumper, Christian Taylor, who won the gold in 2012. Taylor also got his best jump on his first attempt. His winning distance was 58-7.25.That was a season best for him. After the race, as part of the the post-race celebration, Claye spotted his girlfriend, Queen Harrison. He then went into the stands to propose and she said yes.

Watch the live stream of track and field and get updated results at IAAF.org.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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