America‘s 200-meter team is officially set to go for the Olympics in Paris. The final roster spots were determined after the track and field trials on Saturday night, CBS Sports reported.
Gabby Thomas and Noah Lyles, who won bronze medals at the Tokyo Olympics, are two of the American stars heading to Paris. Thomas qualified for Paris when she won her race on Saturday with a time of 21.81. The other two women who qualified for the 200-meter race are first-time Olympians Brittany Brown and McKenzie Long.
“This is incredible,” Thomas told NBC after her victory. “I knew I had to get today done, and this was the first step. There is no gold medal in Paris without making the team today, so I’m just ecstatic. To be alongside these amazing, incredible women and everyone in the final, it’s just such an amazing race.”
Brown is full of gratitude as well after making her first Olympics.
“It’s been a long journey to get here. My coach said it was going to be a fight, and I fought all the way to the end,” the track star said, per CBS.
It was also a highly-emotional moment for Long, who is thinking about her late mother, Tara Jones, as she competes on the track.
“I’m just really happy I was able to execute my race,” Long said, according to CBS Sports. “I’m just very proud of myself and proud of these girls for pushing me in this 200. I’m doing it for you, mom.”
Sha’Carri Richardson, who qualified for the Olympics in the 100-meter run, came up short in the 200. On the men’s side, Lyles set a trials record, finishing the 200-meter race with a time of 19.53.
“I’m blessed, man. Truly blessed,” Lyles said after the race, per CBS Sports. “I’ve said it all season, but it helps to not have depression. I thank God every day. Every time I got on this track, I just kept saying, ‘Thank you God, thank you God, thank you God,’ for getting me through each and every round.”
Kenny Bednarek also made the team after finishing the race with a time of 19.59. Meanwhile, Eeriyon Knighton posted a time of 19.77 and qualified for the Olympics for the first time.