Over the last several weeks, Oregon senior Jadyn Mays has had very little time to breathe.
Though the Duck had been a force in sprints for years, it wasn't until her final indoor and outdoor collegiate seasons that she arrived on the national stage.
Three weeks ago, Mays competed in her first individual NCAA Outdoor Championships individual finals, finishing fourth in the 100-meter and third in the 200, while helping the Ducks' 4x100 relay to an NCAA final.
After that 100 final, Mays had a brief respite from the track to take a deep breath and soak in what she'd accomplished over her final collegiate season.
"I'm my own biggest critic but I always try to sit down and give myself a little grace," Mays said.
Then she worked her way through her finals in the classroom, and went to three different graduations to wrap up her degree at Oregon, all between trips to the track to train for the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials at Hayward Field.
After just missing on the final in the women's 100 at the trials, Mays took the ninth and final spot in the women's 200 Friday with a 20.33-second time in the first semifinal heat. She finished third and advanced on time, behind Sha'Carri Richardson and former Duck Jenna Prandini.
Throughout it all, Mays has barely had time from one thing to the next to reflect on everything that has changed for her this season.
"This year was like really crazy for me," she said. "I've done so many things, I've gotten so much media coverage, it's been super different for me. I kind of had a little bit of a social media following but this year was just like completely different. There's so many people reaching out to me and so much stuff going on.
"I do have to sit back sometimes and say, 'Yeah, you're actually doing the things you said you wanted to do. It's coming to fruition and you're doing it.'"
Though she's had little time to reminisce, she knows exactly what each race means in the moment.
Before most of her races over the last several weeks, the Hayward crowds have shouted out her name while she walks out. Kids hold posters with her name on it and ask to take pictures with her. At times, the cheers for Mays rival that of proven professional standouts like Richardson and Prandini.
That attention isn't lost on Mays.
"Every time I go on the track I think this could be my last one in a Duck uniform and I try to give everything I've got," Mays said. "I feel the crowd when I get out there and they introduce my name I get a lot of cheers. It's really special ... It's surprising for me, because I'm just a little kid from Arizona that came to Oregon. There's a lot of people that look up to me and ask to take my picture."
That little kid from Arizona will compete for an Olympic berth against the likes of Richardson, Prandini, Gabby Thomas and Brittany Brown on Saturday after a whirlwind last season with the Ducks.
Former Ducks Jenna Prandini and Kyree King also advance to respective 200 finals
Running in the same heat as Richardson and Mays, Prandini finished second in the heat in 22.26, while Richardson won in 21.92, equaling a personal best.
Prandini, a two-time Olympian in the 200, came up just short in the 100 final and will rely on her experience in the 200 final Saturday.
"Every day is a clean slate for us," Prandini said. "What you ran today doesn't mean anything tomorrow. I gotta go back, get recovered and get composed and get ready for the final."
Not needing to rely on time to advance this time, Oregon alum Kyree King finished second in his heat in the men's 200 to advance to the race's final Saturday.
King missed the cut for the 100 final after running in the third and final heat that featured virtually no wind-aid, versus the first two heats that featured plenty.
"I couldn't put it in their hands no more, I had to get it done myself," King said.
King will compete against Noah Lyles, who had the best time in the semifinals in 19.60, Christian Coleman (19.89), Erriyon Knighton (19.93), Kenny Bednarek (19.96), Robert Gregory (19.98), Courtney Lindsey (20.05), Jeremiah Curry (20.31), and Jamarion Stubbs (20.31).
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com and you can follow him on X @AlecDietz.
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