Former Oregon star Devon Allen disqualified from World Athletic Championships following controversial ruling
Devon Allen’s hopes of a storybook weekend at Hayward Field were over before they began.
Allen, a former University of Oregon standout who starred in both football and track and field for the Ducks, entered Sunday with high hopes of capturing a 110-meter hurdle title at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene. He owns the fastest time in the world this season — and the third-fastest time ever — after running a blazing 12.84 seconds in New York earlier this summer.
But his meet ended in heartbreak. Prior to the start of Sunday night’s final, Allen was disqualified for a false start.
Runners are not permitted to start sooner than .1 second after the starting gun goes off. Allen was detected by the digital starting block as having reacted on .099 seconds, meaning he was disqualified for reacting .001 seconds too soon.
“By the rule, a false start,” Allen said in the mixed zone afterward. “But it’s just so, so close that there’s a lot of margin of error there. The fact that there’s no, I’m not going to say leeway, but saying the equipment is 100% perfect – 1/1000th is pretty close to the limit. I’m 1/1,000th slower and everybody is happy. Everybody is (saying), ‘Hey great race, world champ,’ and that’s that.
“It’s a little frustrating. There’s a lot of variables in a race.”
He immediately protested the ruling to meet officials, but was unsuccessful in overturning it and was ultimately shown two red cards, meaning he was not allowed to compete.
“Initially, my first reaction was that maybe (Grant Holloway) next to me was still going into set — because it was a quick gun and he goes into set a little bit later, so I thought they were going, ‘Hey, go into set when we say set,’” Allen said. “So when I was flagged, I was very surprised. It was also part of the frustration because I know for a fact that I didn’t react until I heard the gun.
“To be one one-thousandth of a second too quick — I know I’m quick — but that kind of sucks.”
Grant Holloway of the U.S. — who is close friends with Allen — went on to win the race in 13.03 seconds. Fellow American Trey Cunningham was second in 13.08. Asier Martinez of Spain was third in a personal-best time of 13.17.
Afterward, Allen Tweeted out a celebratory message to Holloway and Cunningham.
Allen’s absence wasn’t the only one that loomed large during Sunday’s final.
Hansel Parchment of Jamaica, who captured the gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, withdrew prior to Sunday’s final after suffering an injury during warmups.
Now, Allen will put his track and field on the backburner. The former Ducks receiver has signed with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles and is set to report to training camp on August 26.
Allen, who has not played in a football game since his last game as a Duck in 2016, shocked the track and field world in April when he performed at Oregon’s pro day in Eugene and announced he was aiming to sign with an NFL team.
Just six days later, he signed with the Eagles. On Sunday, Allen was asked if, and when, he might make a return to the track.
“My goal is to be the best hurdler ever and I still have a chance to do that and my goal is to play in the NFL and help right now the Eagles win a Super Bowl,” he said. “There’s really not much I can do. It’s just one race, which is frustrating. Track and field is so difficult because you train all year for one competition that lasts 13 seconds, and that’s that. It’s kind of like your identity is based all on that one competition, which is frustrating. It happens and I’ll learn from it and I’ll make sure I react not as fast next time.”
