By Shawn Medow
Oregon track and field sprinters Hannah Cunliffe, Deajah Stevens and Makenzie Dunmore gathered behind a fence just beyond the finish line at Hayward Field. Just like the 4,284 fans Friday at the Oregon Twilight Meet, they were waiting to see Devon Allen.
It was seven months to the day that Allen had surgery on an ACL injury that occurred while playing in an Oregon football game, and in his first race since the surgery, he finished second behind training partner Johnathan Cabral by 0.04 seconds.
“I’m really happy about my time,” Allen said. “13.59 is my second-fastest opener ever.”
Cabral, also a former Duck, won the race in 13.55 seconds. “I was hoping to at least get a 13.5 for today,” he said. “Didn’t quite get that, but it was just minor reasons, little tweaks that I’ll need to work out in practice that will help me get faster times.”
But most of the crowd was focused on Allen. Even if he had wanted to arrive incognito, there is no way he could have, especially in Eugene. Wearing a navy blue Nike tracksuit, Allen walked into Hayward with a cameraman documenting each step the U.S. Olympian took. And of course, he was rushed by fans.
“It was really important no matter how I was feeling, especially out in front of Hayward fans because I feel so comfortable,” Allen said. “If I ran 15.5, they’d still give me love.”
Now representing Nike professionally, Allen did not the his Oregon gear that fans have come accustomed to seeing. But Allen said he still feels like a Duck.
“I still get up at 7 a.m. to go to class at 8,” Allen said. “Then I have track practice, then class, then homework pretty much every day. I feel like a normal college student still. I’m just training with John—we’re both professional, so it really works out really well.”
The knee injury was always going to be a concern for Allen, but it did not affect him in the race, even with the chilly Eugene weather.
“It’s a little cold—I can feel my knee lock up a little,” he said. “I’m not running any more today or tomorrow, so I can go home and rest. I feel good now—I’m ready to run I’m excited for the season.”
Experiencing nerves running on some of the biggest stages in track and field before finishing college is a feeling one would understand. But the nerves Allen felt before the Twilight race were different and still severe.
“Other than the Olympic Games, probably the second-most nervous I’ve ever been,” Allen said. “Just because I train with Johnathan but we don’t really do anything super long together, so I didn’t know how we’d compare. I set a benchmark for the season. It’s a pretty fast one, so I’m excited.”
Allen’s time is now the third best in the meet’s history while Cabral’s is the second. The duo also engaged in some pre-race banter.
“I said good luck to everyone but him,” Allen said.
“That happens all the time,” Cabral said. “Nothing that I can’t just ignore.”
