From across the United States, track and field athletes have come to Eugene to compete in the Olympic Trials, including athletes right here in Oregon.
Current and former students from the University of Oregon have and continue to compete in the Trials, securing spots in the semi-finals, finals and, ultimately, to London for the 2012 Olympics. Here is how Oregon athletes, past and present, have done over the first five days of competition.
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Ashton Eaton, a 201o graduate from the UO, received the first, Olympic Team bid in the men’s decathlon. He broke the previous world record of 9,026 points set in 2001 by 13 points to end with a score of 9,039.
Also heading to the Olympics is Duck alum Becky Holliday from the women’s pole vault. This is her first qualification for the Olympics. She qualified in second place with a clearance of 14 feet, 11 inches/4.55 meters.
Competing in the 400 meters, Keshia Baker, a former Duck, advanced to the finals with a fourth-place finish, with a time of 51.62 seconds. In the finals, she finished in sixth with a time of 51.23.
Phyllis Francis, a current UO sophomore, finished eighth in preliminaries of the 400 meters with a time of 55.46. She was unable to advance further.
In the women’s 100 meters, UO sophomore English Gardner advanced to the finals from a second-place finish and a time of 11.10. In the finals, she finished seventh with a time of 11.28.
Melissa Gergel, a Duck alum, competed in the women’s pole vault, tying for seventh with a clearance at 14 feet, 5.25 inches/4.40 meters.
In the 800 meters, Laura Roesler, a UO sophomore, placed tenth with a time of 2:03.35.
University of Oregon senior Lauryn Newson finished third in the women’s triple jump, advancing to the finals with a personal best of 44 feet, 4.25 inches/13.52 meters. She also beat the UO record of 43 feet, 5 inches/13.23m. This is her fifth career triple jump event.
In the men’s 800 meters, rising UO senior Elijah Greer advanced to the finals, taking fourth overall with a time of 1:46.28. He was able to move on to the finals. @@We need to fill in how he does after the event today@@
Making finals in the men’s javelin was rising sophomore Sam Crouser, who placed seventh with a throw of 248 feet/75.60 meters, and alum Cyrus Hostetler, who placed eighth with a throw of 245 feet, 2 inches/74.74 meters. Alums Ryan Brandel placed 18th with a mark of 230 feet, 6 inches/70.27 meters, while Alex Wolff fouled out on his three attempts.
Justin Frick, a UO alum, moved to the finals in the men’s high jump with a clearance of three bars, with his best clearance being 7 feet, 1.75 inches/2.18 meters.
Placing eighth in the men’s 10,000 meters, senior Luke Puskedra finished with a time of 27:56:62. Rising sophomore Dakotah Keys bowed out of the decathlon after the high jump, posting a Did Not Finish.