Despite a thrilling American sweep in the men’s shot put, a lightning-fast women’s 100-meter final, and strong performances in the men’s distance races this morning, Hayward Field was abuzz with controversy on July 17, the third day of the World Athletics Championships.
Devon Allen—the hometown hero not only as an American, but also as a former Oregon Duck competing at his university track—was disqualified from the men’s 110-meter hurdles final for false starting.
Starts faster than 0.1 seconds are considered too fast. Allen reacted in 0.099, and he was removed from the race. The crowd of about 13,000 at Hayward Field was in disbelief.
“I know for a fact I didn’t react until I heard the gun,” Allen said after the race. “To be one one-thousandth too quick—I know I’m quick, but it kind of sucks.”
Allen, who qualified through the heats in 13.47 and semis in 13.09, looked poised to medal, if not win. On June 12 in New York, he defeated the man who won tonight’s race—Grant Holloway of the U.S.—in a world-leading time of 12.84. It was the third-fastest time in history for the event.
Despite nearly missing a World Championships berth by finishing a close third at the USATF Championships on June 26, right after the death of his father, Allen was finding his stride in the early rounds this week.
“Track and field is so difficult, because you train all year for one competition that lasts 12, 13 seconds,” Allen said. “And that’s that. Your identity is based all on that one competition which is frustrating. It happens. I’ll learn from it. Make sure I react not as fast next time.”
Allen also made headlines this year when he signed a contract to play in the NFL for the Philadelphia Eagles. He still has goals on the track and on the gridiron.
“I’m hungry for everything I do,” he said. “My goal is to be the best hurdler ever. And I still have a chance to do that. And my goal is to play in the NFL and help right now the Eagles win a Super Bowl.”
—Slovakian Athlete Proposes at Worlds.
Chris Hatler is a writer and editor based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but before joining Runner’s World and Bicycling, he was a pro runner for Diadora, qualifying for multiple U.S. Championships in the 1500 meters. At his alma mater the University of Pennsylvania, Chris was a multiple-time Ivy League conference champion and sub-4 minute miler.
