Gators In Olympic Games: Marquis Dendy

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Among the best comeback tales for the U.S. Olympic Group headed to Tokyo belongs to former Gators All-American Marquis Dendy.

Most anticipated Dendy’s shot at Olympic glory to occur on the Rio Video games in 2016. Dendy earned a spot on Group USA within the lengthy bounce and was thought of one of many favorites. Nonetheless, solely days earlier than the Video games had been to begin, Dendy suffered a lower-leg damage that prevented him from competing.

5 years later — the worldwide coronavirus pandemic prolonged Dendy’s watch for a 12 months — the 28-year-old Dendy refused to be denied. Dendy completed second within the lengthy bounce on the U.S. Olympic Trials final month to safe his spot in Tokyo within the lengthy bounce.

Dendy isn’t any stranger to worldwide success. He was the the 2015 U.S. outside nationwide champion and 2016 U.S. and world indoor gold medalist, and no male athlete has received extra titles within the horizontal jumps on the NCAA Championships because the flip of the millennium than Dendy.

Now, after an extended wait and the buildup of years on his tall and lean body, Dendy lastly will get an opportunity on the Olympics.

Dendy, Marquis (2021 Olympic Trials) — **Marquis Dendy** soars by way of the air eventually month’s U.S. Olympic Group Trials in Eugene, Ore. (Picture: **Charlie Riedel**/Related Press)

AT A GLANCE

**Marquis Dendy** after successful the long-jump title on the IAAF World Indoor Championships in 2016. (Picture: By way of *WorldAthletics.org*)

SPORT: Monitor & Area

EVENT: Males’s lengthy bounce

HOW HE QUALIFIED: Dendy earned a spot on Group USA by ending second within the lengthy bounce with a season-best leap of 8.38 meters (27 ft, 6 inches) in his second try on the U.S. Olympic Group Trials final month.

TOKYO SCHEDULE: The qualifying spherical for the lads’s lengthy bounce begins July 31 and the ultimate is Aug. 2 on the Olympic Stadium.

UF CAREER: Dendy arrived at UF from Middletown, Del., and never solely continued the Gators’ excellence in jumps on the heels of such standouts at Christian Taylor, Will Claye and Omar Craddock, however he stamped his personal star on this system’s report books. Dendy received seven nationwide titles within the lengthy bounce and triple bounce (outside and indoor) throughout his profession and was named the 2015 Bowerman winner, the highest particular person honor in NCAA Monitor & Area.

NEED TO KNOW: Dendy’s 8.38-meter bounce on the Olympic Trials final month was his longest within the occasion outdoor because the 2016 Olympic Trials, when he posted a bounce of 8.42 meters, which pegged him as a favourite in Rio till his damage.

QUOTE OF NOTE: “I am 28. I wish to get a meet abroad. I received a brand new home, so I wish to fill it up with some furnishings. I will get up and understand I am truly going to Tokyo, the village. It feels actually good.” — Dendy after his efficiency on the U.S. Olympic Trials final month

Beforehand: “Gators In Olympic Video games” Collection
June 26: Cory McGee
June 27: Michelle Moultrie
June 28: Natalie Hinds
June 29: Adriana Leon
June 30: Enzo Martinez-Scarpe
July 1: Kieran Smith
July 2: Genevieve LaCaze Gregson
July 3: Will Claye
July 4: Mark Kolozsvary
July 5: Marife Torres
July 6: Aubree Munro
July 7: Leanne Wong
July 8: Hakim Sani Brown
July 9: Deanne Rose
July 10: Yanis David