by Larry Eder
Aries Merritt, Devon Allen, 2018 Millrose Games, photo by PhotoRun.net
Devon Allen is an amazing athlete. A two sport athlete, Devon went to a fine Jesuit institution, Brophy Prep, in Phoenix, Arizona.
At Oregon, Allen played football and ran track. In track, he ran the 110m hurdles and the 400m hurdles. In 2014, Devon took second in the 110m hurdles in 13.47, and second in the 400m hurdles in 51.19 in the PAC-12 Championships.
At the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2014, Devon Allen won the 110m hurdles in 13.16.Just two weeks later, Devon Allen won the USA outdoor championships, taking the win in 13.16. In the fall 2014 football season, Devon Allen ran 684 yards and completed 41 passes, then, tore his ACL and missed the Rose bowl, as he required surgeries and missed the 2015 season.
Ready to get this season started! @Nike ðŸƒðŸ½ðŸ’¨ pic.twitter.com/Q7U7os5sSt
— Devon Allen (@DevonAllen13) January 16, 2018
In 2016, Devon won the NCAA Outdoors in 13.50 for the 110m hurdles, then ran 13.03 to win the 2016 USA Outdoors! In his first Olympics, Devon Allen ran 13.41 for 110m hurdles in the Engenhao Stadium in Rio, to make the final. In a very tight race, Devon Allen took fifth in 13.31. Allen competed in football, and was injured once again, requiring another surgery.
It was after this Olympic season, in November 2016, that Devon Allen decided to dedicate his athletic life to the 110m hurdles, well, until at least the 2020 Olympics, and we are the better for it.
Devon Allen told the Oregonian (OregonLive.com) on November 16, 2016: “My ideal scenario is to run track for the next couple years, then at the 2020 Olympics win a gold medal, have the world record, then I can put that to the side and play football,” noted Mr. Allen. “… But I know right now I really want to focus on track for the next three to four years in hopes of winning the gold medal in Tokyo. I think focusing on track is really going to be the best opportunity to do that because I’ll be able to put all my time and effort into one sport and really be the athlete I need to be for the hurdles.” (credited to the Oregonian).
In 2017, Allen did not make the final of the London World Championships. The 110m hurdles is one of the toughest events in our sport. Devon Allen has the talent to do well. In 2018, he started off with a nice 7.58 over the 60 meter hurdles, then, at Millrose, won the 60 meter hurdles in 7.50 to 2012 Olympic champion and WR holder (110m hurdles) Aries Merritt, who hurdled 7.53.
Devon Allen is declared for the 2018 USATF Indoor Championships, vying for a position on the 2018 World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, England on March 1-4, 2018.
How will the former Duck fare? We think well. We like a guy who can hurdle, instagram and tweet all in the same breath!
