An American Sweep
by Steve McGill
For this month’s great race, we’re going to take a look back just a short two years ago, when Brianna Rollins led an American sweep in the women’s 100 meter hurdles. While the United States had been traditionally strong in the sprint hurdles, a sweep in such a competitive event was something that didn’t seem likely, despite the fact that Australia’s Sally Pearson would be out due to injury. Rollins had burst forth three years prior with a dominant 2013 in which she won the NCAA’s and the World Championships. At that time, it looked like she was unbeatable.
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But by 2016, Rollins had plenty of competition in her own backyard. Sprint hurdlers like Sherika Nelvis, Jasmine Stowers, and Queen Harrison were all running very fast times, and Nia Ali and Kristi Castlin were looking very sharp as well. And 2016 was also the year in which Kendra Harrison emerged as a monstrous force in the 100m hurdles. She opened the year with a sub-12.40, then went on to break the American record shortly thereafter in a stunning 12.24.
But Harrison, who had trouble adjusting to the sudden pressure that came with being a national record holder, struggled mightily at the Olympic Trials and did not make the Olympic team. Rollins’ competitive fire and powerful running style proved to be the difference as she earned the victory. Somewhat surprisingly, Nelvis and Stowers failed to qualify for the Olympics as well, as Castlin and Ali took the final two spots.
At the Games, going through the rounds, it was looking like, even without the national record holder, an American sweep was possible. Still, with exceptionally talented hurdlers like Cindy Ofili and Tiffany Porter of Great Britain, and Cindy Roleder of Germany, nothing was guaranteed.
In the Olympic final, Rollins got out fast and stayed ahead of the pack the whole way. She powered through the hurdles, snapping her lead leg down with lightning speed over each hurdle. The look of focus and determination on her face made it clear that she was not going to be denied to reach the pinnacle of her sport.
Ali ran one of the better races of her career as she got into a rhythm early and stayed right on Rollins’ back pocket. Castlin, meanwhile, had to come from behind to earn the bronze. She did not get a good start, and was toward the back of the pack early. It was looking like Ofili was going to win a spot on the podium, but Castlin came back fiercely in the second half of the race, making up ground step by step, hurdle by hurdle. She edged Ofili for the bronze by a mere two hundredths of a second.
Afterward, as the three American women celebrated with a victory lap, it became clear that this was an historic moment, the likes of which we may never see again.
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