The Oregon Ducks have given up wide receiver Devon Allen for the first few weeks of the preseason, but it is for a good reason. He is representing the United States at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and on Monday, he qualified for the semifinals in the 110-meter hurdles.
Ahead of Allen’s run Monday night, the Ducks announced they would have a team meeting to watch their teammate run in the heat. He came in with a 13.41 second split, landing him second place and a spot in the semifinals later this week.
On to the #Olympics semifinals for @DevonAllen13 as his teammates rejoice #GoDucks #RioDucks https://t.co/ZHb7OF9d4T
— Oregon Football (@oregonfootball) August 16, 2016
.@DevonAllen13 takes 2nd place in his 110m Hurdles heat! He's moving on to the semis. #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/qLvoMLDZqB
— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) August 16, 2016
Allen’s journey to Rio is even more impressive when you think about the fact that he missed the 2015 track season due to a torn ACL. He suffered that injury in the 2015 Rose Bowl after he recorded 684 yards and seven touchdowns in his sophomore season.
“It’s funny to me that people think Devon can only do one, track or football, long-term,” former track All-American Jordan Kent told Sports Illustrated. “There’s no guarantee that if he stopped playing football, he’d be a better hurdler, or if he stopped hurdling, he’d be a better football player. All we know for sure is that right now, doing both is working out well for him.”
It will be fun to see if Allen will be heading back to Eugene with a medal around his neck. It would be even better if he helped the Ducks to a ring in 2016.
The Ducks open the season on Sept. 3 against UC Davis.
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