Jul 9, 2016 3 min read

EUGENE, Ore. – Canon-McMillan High School graduate Shawn Johnson’s quest to make the 2016 U.S. Olympic team came to an end Saturday on a rain-drenched Hayward Field at the U.S. Track and Field Trials.

Johnson, who was fourth in Thursday’s final qualifying round, finished eighth overall in the men’s triple jump, putting up a top leap of 54-4 3/4. Johnson, who competed collegiately at Auburn, had a top jump of 55-3 1/2 Thursday.

Will Clay, who won a gold medal at the 2012 IAAF World Indoor Championships, led the U.S. qualifiers with a top jump of 57-11. That came on Clay’s fifth of six attempts and pushed him into first place past 2012 Olympic champion and U.S. record holder Christian Taylor. Taylor also qualified for the Olympics next month in Rio de Janeiro with a top jump of 57-0 3/4 on his final attempt.

Chris Benard was third at 56-5 3/4.

Johnson’s best leap Saturday came on his second try and was his lone jump of more than 54 feet. He had placed fifth at the NCAA track championships in June with a top jump of 53-5 to earn All-America honors in the event.

Johnson bested that mark on four of his six jumps Saturday.

Justin Gatlin won the 200-meter final at the U.S. Olympic Trials and 41-year-old Bernard Lagat won the 5,000-meter race.

Gatlin qualified for his third Olympics, and Lagat is going to the Games for the fifth time.

Gatlin ran the 200 in 19.75 seconds to nudge out LaShawn Merritt by .04. Also making it was Ameer Webb, who finished ahead of high-schoolers Noah Lyles and Michael Norman.

Joining Lagat at 5,000 meters are Hassan Mead and Paul Chelimo.

Allyson Felix made it through her semifinal and will be in the eight-woman 200-meter final Sunday.

The 110-meter hurdles title went to Devon Allen, who runs track and plays wide receiver for the Oregon Ducks. Ronnie Ash and Jeff Porter took the other spots, but left out were three Olympic veterans: David Oliver, Jason Richardson and defending champion Aries Merritt.

Oregon wide receiver Devon Allen advanced to the final of the 110-meter hurdles.

World record holder Aries Merritt, the gold medalist in the London Olympics, as well as silver medalist Jason Richardson, also advanced in the semifinals earlier Saturday.

Allen, a crowd favorite at Oregon’s Hayward Field, said he’d try and relax in the 90 minutes between races. The top three finishers in the talent-laden final make the Olympic team for Rio.

Allen is coming off his second NCAA title in the event. He made a splash in the event at the NCAA championships two years ago as a freshman, running in 13.16 seconds set a meet record and best Merritt’s mark of 13.21 set in 2006 for Tennessee.