Cal's David Foster Comes Up Short in 100 Meters at Olympic Trials

The rising senior finished seventh in his semifinal heat; Noah Lyles won the 100-meter final in 9.83 seconds.

Noah Lyles won the 100-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic trials / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA

Cal rising senior David Foster found out Sunday he’s not quite ready to run with the world’s fastest sprinters.

Foster, who advanced through the first round of the 100-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials the day before, was sent home when he finished 22nd overall among 26 starters in the three semifinal races. 

Foster, who set Cal’s school record this spring with a clocking of 10.14 seconds, ran 10.23 to finish eighth in his heat. He outperformed his seed, with his personal best tied for the second slowest among those who made it to the semifinals.

The experience will serve Foster well after he was exposed to the sport’s elite.

Six-time World Championships gold medalist Noah Lyles scorched the track at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, clocking a wind-aided 9.80 seconds in the semifinals. Kenny Bednarek, a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics in the 200 meters, crossed at 9.82 in the same race.

Christian Coleman, the 2019 world champ at 100 meters, won Foster’s heat with a time of 9.86.

The semifinal field was so loaded that three runners who ran faster than 10-flat failed to advance to the final.

Lyles won the final with a wind-legal time of 9.83 that matched his personal best. Bednarek was second at 9.87 and Fred Kerley secured the third Olympic team spot with a time of 9.88.