Kendell Williams Advances To Second Games As U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials Wrap Up

EUGENE, Ore. --- Former Georgia seven-time NCAA champion Kendell Williams punched her ticket in the heptathlon at the U.S. Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., late Sunday night.

Williams, a native of Marietta, Ga., who finished 17^th at the 2016 Olympics, racked up a personal record 6,683 points through seven events over two days to take second by 20 points.  During Sunday's three events, Williams equaled her career best in the javelin and collected yet another necessary Olympic Standard to clinch her spot in Tokyo.  She and the rest of the field in the hep faced a significant delay to start their final events because of temperatures hovering around 100 degrees.

Graduate transfer Asya Reynolds completed her heptathlon in 13^th after scoring 5,642 points.

Former Bulldog Keenon Laine also tied for seventh in the high jump final during the meet's final day.

On Saturday, former Lady Bulldog All-American Morgann Leleux locked in a spot to her first Olympics thanks to a personal-best effort in the women's pole vault.  Thanks to her Olympic Standard in her event, Leleux will be now representing Team USA next month.

Four other Bulldogs also punched their tickets at the U.S. Trials.  On June 20, Orji set a meet record in the triple jump to win the U.S. title while current sophomore Jasmine Moore cruised into third place to qualify for her first Olympics after a sensational collegiate season.

Former Georgia champion Garrett Scantling exploded for a career-high 8,647 points to win the American championship and earn his first trip to the Games after finishing one spot out of qualifying in 2016.  Also, junior Elija Godwin was sixth in the 400-meter dash final last weekend with a 44.94.  He was named as a relay leg for Team USA.

Eleven current Bulldogs and eight former Georgia standouts competed in their home country's Trials starting on June 18 through Sunday.  The top three finishers in each event at the Trials will advance to the Olympic Games in Tokyo on July 23-August 8, barring they have the standard mark/time necessary in their event.

Williams started the day by winning the long jump with a second attempt that measured 22 feet, 1 inch.  Starting with a toss of 147-3 in the javelin and following that up with a throw of 154-6, Williams launched her third attempt a personal record of 155-6 to take second.  She completed the Trials by taking eighth in the 800m with a season-best 2:16.85.  This final event came hours after it was originally scheduled because of extreme heat in Eugene.

Reynolds opened the long jump with a mark of 19-7.50 and was 10^th after her next two attempts were fouls.  She sandwiched a javelin toss of 113-4 between her first and last tries and was 11^th.  Reynolds was 13^th in the hep's finale after registering a 2:18.76 in the 800m.

Laine, a native of Versailles, Ky., cleared 7-1 on his first attempt and then missed three tries at 7-3 to tie for seventh.

Results and recaps from the Trials will be found at georgiadogs.com.  News and updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams are always located on Twitter/Instagram at @UGATrack.

Kendell Williams Advances To Second Games As U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials Wrap Up

Players Mentioned

Elija Godwin

Jasmine Moore

Asya Reynolds

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