Malfunction at NCAA D2 track championships causes partially-blind runner to finish in last place
The final lap bell rang, but it was not the final lap
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A malfunction during the NCAA Division II 5,000-meter championship over the weekend caused a runner to finish in last place.
Davonte Jett-Reynolds, a senior from Adams State in Alamosa, Colorado, thought he was on the final homestretch of the 12.5-lap race after hearing the final lap bell, so he kicked it into full gear. However, he was unaware that the bell had rung one lap too early.
"Exhausted" from giving "everything I had" on what he thought was his last lap, a total of 15 runners passed Jett-Reynolds. After what he thought was a third-place finish, he wound up passing the finish line in 18th out of 18.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to USA Today, the gaffe began when a lap counter, counting down, went from nine laps left to seven.
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Fans sit alongside the track during the Division II Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championships held at the Neta & Eddie DeRose Thunderbowl on May 27, 2023 in Pueblo, Colorado. (Grace Bradley/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
"When it should’ve went eight, and it’s a digital indicator at the finish line, they skipped eight and went to seven (laps). The visual of the lap counter went from nine to seven," Adams State track and field head coach Damon Martin told USA TODAY Sports. "They skipped eight."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The official rang the bell anyway, despite the counter being wrong.
Jett-Reynolds is completely blind in his left eye, and 20% impaired in his right. So, he relies on the bells to let him know how much longer he has - the track counter is located on the inside of the track to his left, so he cannot see it.
Jett-Reynolds says he heard officials saying there was one lap to go, but he did not realize they were talking to him.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The officials are like, ‘You have one lap.’ But they are on my left side and I’m blind and they are yelling at me. I thought they were talking to the other kid that I had lapped," Jett-Reynolds said. "In my mind, I’m like, ‘Oh yeah, keep running because you definitely did not beat me.’"
Jett-Reynolds ran the actual final lap in 2 minutes and 53 seconds, more than 90 seconds slower than each of his previous lap splits.
A NCAA logo is displayed on the goal post before the Division III National Championship basketball game between the Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets and the Elmhurst Bluejays on March 19, 2022, at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. (Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}His total time was 15:55.20 - had he ran the final lap at his pace for the first 11.5 laps, he would have finished in 14 minutes and 10 seconds, which would have won the race.
An Adams State athlete did come away victorious - Awet Beraki earned first place with his time of 14:13.69 - however, Jett-Reynolds' fate played a factor in the overall team standings.
If Jett-Reynolds finished third like he had though he did, Adams State would have earned six more points in the team rankings and surpassed West Texas A&M in the standings - West Texas A&M finished in second with 47 points, while Adams State finished in third with 44. Pittsburg State won the men's title with 62 total points.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The NCAA admitted the gaffe occurred, and Adams State protested, but the NCAA ruled the results will remain.
Awet Beraki, pictured, Davonte Jett-Reynolds' teammate, won the race. (Grace Bradley/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
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"While the unfortunate lap-counting mistake caused confusion, the referees determined, since the full 5,000 meters were completed by all participants remaining in the race at the time the bell rang and the distance race could not be run again, the results would stand as completed," the NCAA said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jett-Reynolds' career-best in the 5,000-meter is 13:59.44. USA Today says he is filing paperwork to participate in the Paralympics.