I don’t care who you are or who you root for, this is damn impressive.
Devon Allen is a very talented wide receiver for the Oregon Ducks football team. Allen also “moonlights” as a very talented member of UO’s track & field team, claiming the Pac-12 titles this past May in both the 110-meter hurdles and 200-meter dash. He claimed the NCAA championship in the former event this past June as well.
Because of that talented “moonlighting,” Allen took part in the U.S. Olympic Trials in the hurdles this past week. And here’s the thing: he won, with a personal best of 13.03, and absolutely blew away the rest of the field in the process.
As a result, Allen, who didn’t participate in spring football to concentrate on this sport, will be representing his country in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next month. Let that sink in for a minute, that Allen, who didn’t start serious training for the hurdles until January because of his commitment to college football, is an Olympian.DEVON ALLEN 🔥
He wins the men’s 110m hurdles with a blazing 13.03! More highlights: https://t.co/s8sasnBSYw https://t.co/LuPeshQnvV
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) July 10, 2016
He’s going to Rio!
Congratulations, @DevonAllen13!#GoDucks pic.twitter.com/Z4dHou1jJZ
— GoDucks (@GoDucks) July 10, 2016
Strike the pose, you’re headed to Rio! #GoDucks #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/wMbkkgvYDO
— Oregon Football (@WinTheDay) July 10, 2016
Add in the fact that Allen sustained a torn ACL on New Year’s Day 2015 in the Rose Bowl, and this will serve as one of the most underappreciated storylines of the upcoming Olympiad.
The 2016 Summer Olympics begin August 5 and run through August 21. Allen is expected to return to the Ducks football team shortly after the end of the Games.