In their continuing run-up to the U.S. Olympic Trials in July, former Bartlett High shot putter Jordan Clarke and former Eielson long jumper Janay DeLoach finished in the money Friday night at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon.
The meet doubled as a Diamond League event. The Diamond League is the International Association of Athletics Federations' worldwide circuit of meets that draws the globe's most elite track and field athletes, and pays the top six finishers in designated events.
Clarke, 25, who lives in Arizona, took fifth place with a throw of 66 feet, 7.75 inches at Hayward Field, and earned $2,500. He finished sixth ($2,000) at a Diamond League meet in Shanghai, China, earlier in May.
DeLoach, 30, who lives in Colorado, finished sixth with a leap of 21-7.50, and won $2,000.
Clarke is ranked No. 7 in the world this year and No. 4 among Americans. Friday night, he finished third among Americans behind world leader Joe Kovacs (72-7.25), who torched the field by more than 4 feet, and third-place finisher Reese Hoffa (67-6.25).
DeLoach seized a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympics in London. That's when she used her left leg as her take-off leg. Two surgeries on her left ankle in 2014 prompted DeLoach to switch to her right leg as her plant leg, a transition somewhat akin to a right-handed pitcher switching to southpaw.
DeLoach currently is ranked No. 6 among Americans.
The U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials are set for July 1-10 in Eugene.