In the end, Oregon will have to settle for employing just the fifth fastest hurdler on the planet in its wide receiving corps.
Ducks wide receiver Devon Allen secured a fifth place finish in the finals of the 110-meter hurdles at the Rio Olympics on Tuesday night, clocking in at a time of 13.31 seconds. Omar McLeod of Jamaica took gold, the first in the nation’s history. Orlando Ortega of Spain took silver, while Dimitri Bascou of France claimed bronze with a time .07 seconds ahead of Allen’s.
The champion of the 110-meter hurdles at the Olympic Trials, Allen’s Olympic experience was considered a success simply by reaching Tuesday night’s finals. The 21-year-old qualified for the finals in a quote-unquote at-large spot after running a 13.36-second heat in the semifinals.
.@DevonAllen13,
— GoDucks (@GoDucks) August 17, 2016
What. A. Run. #RioDucks pic.twitter.com/iWENtklT6X
Allen will now turn his attention to re-joining Oregon’s football team, where he’ll look to improve upon a 9-catch, 94-yard 2015 season compiled while recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in the Ducks’ 2015 Rose Bowl win.
Allen’s teammates rooted him on from their posh meeting room in Eugene.
Ducks are ready pic.twitter.com/odsLkQE0AJ
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) August 17, 2016
Simply reaching Rio pushed Allen into an exclusive group of college football players-turned-Olympians, including Jim Thorpe, Bob Hayes, James Jett and Marquise Goodwin.