EUGENE, Ore.—Villanovans went 3-for-3 on the first night of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials at Hayward Field as the trio of McKenna Keegan, Casey Comber and Liam Murphy moved on to the semifinal round of their respective events. Keegan advanced from the first round of the women's 800 meters while Comber and Murphy survived an incredible finish in the same heat of the men's 1500 meters to move on.
 
WOMEN'S 800 METERS
 
Keegan raced in the second of four heats and posted a time of 2:01.71 to automatically move on to the semifinal round. The top six finishers in each heat were automatic qualifiers and Keegan stayed within a pace of the lead for the entirety of the race. It was the second career race at the Olympic Trials for Keegan, who went out in the first round in 2021 while she still donned the Villanova singlet.
 
A professional runner now for NIKE / Nike Union Athletics Club, Keegan has had a strong 2024 season and recorded a lifetime best of 1:59.93 at the Portland Track Festival on June 9 in her most recent race before the Trials. She will be back in action on Sunday night for the semifinals of the 800 meters which take place at 9:11 p.m. Eastern time and can be seen on NBC.
 
MEN'S 1500 METERS
 
The first of three heats in the men's 1500 meters featured a breathtaking finish with nearly the entire field of 13 runners in competition for one of the seven automatic qualifying spots for Saturday night's semifinal round. Five runners were separated by just .07 seconds at the line, with the rising fifth year collegian Murphy and his one-time Wildcats teammate Comber right in the middle of it. Official splits had Comber second in the heat with a time of 3:38.67 and Murphy fourth in 3:38.70. It took thousandths of a second to discern the difference between the heat winner Colin Sahlman from Northern Arizona (3:38.661) and Comber (3:38.665).
 
Murphy, who reached the final of the 1500 meters at the NCAA Championships on the same track just two weeks earlier, moved up six spots in the final 300 meters in a thrilling showcase of his closing capabilities. He split 39.35 over the final 300 meters, faster than any other competitor in the field of 38 athletes who started in the first round heats. Murphy did it the hard way as well, going out as wide as lane 5 as he tore down the final straightaway to gain ground. He was indeed in lane 5 when he crossed the finish line. Comber runs for Under Armour Misson Run Baltimore and is competing in his second straight Olympic Trials after debuting in 2021 just two weeks after he wrapped up his collegiate career.
 
UP NEXT
 
There are two events for Villanova fans to keep an eye on Saturday, beginning with the first round of women's high jump at 8 p.m. Eastern time featuring 2023 graduate Sanaä Barnes. The competition can be seen exclusively on Peacock. Later in the evening, Murphy and Comber will run in the semifinal heats of the 1500 meters at 9:56 p.m. Eastern time on NBC.