By GARNER ROBERTS
Special Contributor
EUGENE, Ore. -- A commendable season ended Friday for Abilene Christian University long jumper Levance Williams in the U.S. Olympic trials at historic Hayward Field on the campus of University of Oregon.
In a competition from which the top 12 advanced to Sunday's final, Williams finished 14th with a best effort of 24-11.75. The final qualifier jumped 25-2.5. In the cool (57 degrees) conditions with a light rain falling, only two jumpers were able to reach at least 26 feet.
"I felt good warming up," Williams said. "This is my first time on this stage. My best jump was 7.61 (meters). I'll take that today. I'll graduate (in December) and keep training with coach (Roosevelt) Lofton."
Last month Williams won the NCAA Division II long jump title in Pueblo, Colo., with a leap of 25-11 (7.90 meters), and recently he improved to 26-7 (8.10 meters) to qualify for the Olympic trials here. He's a 24-year-old senior from Colfax, La., who competed two years for the Wildcats after his junior college career.
Williams opened here Friday with 24-8.5 (7.53) and followed with his best of 24-11.75 in round two and 23-11.75 in round three in the second of two flights with a total of 25 athletes in the long jump qualifying (three attempts each).
Will Claye, a transfer from University of Oklahoma who won an NCAA Division I triple jump title for the Florida Gators, was Friday's leader at 26-2.25. The other finalists included Marquise Goodwin of University of Texas, two-time NCAA Division I champion and 2011 U.S. champion. He was one of three who leaped 25-2.5 (7.68) to advance.
"I really wanted to improve," Williams said, "and prove that I can compete with these guys. I just have to keep working."
Williams is one of two current Wildcats competing at the 2012 Olympic trials. After celebrating his birthday here Friday, another ACU senior,
Nick Jones, will compete in the shot put qualifying Saturday at 3 p.m. PDT. Jones' entry in the discus throw is also expected to be accepted.
A four-time NCAA Division II discus champion, Jones, 23, was a provisional qualifier in the two throwing events. Entries in the discus had not been finalized as of Friday afternoon. Jones ranks among the top 10 Americans in the discus this year, and 24 will be accepted for Monday's qualifying.
Two former Wildcats, sprinter Mickey Grimes and triple jumper Stephanie Warren, are also among the Olympic trials entries. Grimes' 100-meter competition starts Saturday.
The Olympic trials is being televised by NBC Sports and its cable affiliates.
