June 25, 2012
U.S. TRACK & FIELD OLYMPIC TRIALS » U.S. Olympic Trials Home Page TV Schedule EUGENE, Ore. - Three more Husky alumni took care of business today in the qualifying rounds, as the U.S. Track & Field Olympic Trials roll on at Hayward Field. Will Conwell moved through in the discus and pole vaulters Brad Walker and Scott Roth both reached the finals, as the Trials now head into a two-day rest period. Conwell, who was sixth at the 2008 Trials in the discus, looks to build on the success of Aretha Thurmond who made her fourth Olympic Team on Sunday in the women's discus. The 2006 grad came out this afternoon and tossed 198-feet, 10-inches on his first attempt. That would be plenty to make the 12-man final, though he fouled his next two attempts. The big hurdle for most throwers in the final on Thursday will be getting that needed Olympic A standard, which takes a throw of 213-3, which no athlete hit today. The pole vault figured to be one of the most exciting events from a Washington perspective, but since anything can happen in the vault, qualifying rounds always test athlete's nerves. 2008 Olympian Brad Walker, the American record-holder and two-time NCAA Champ was competing alongside three-time NCAA Champ Scott Roth today. The two Pat Licari-coached vaulters were the two Team USA representatives on this year's World Indoor Championships, and are looking to be teammates in London. Most of the 24 vaulters in the field entered at the opening height of 17-4 1/2, but both Walker and Roth passed that bar. Half the field went out at that opening height, then Walker and Roth entered at the next bar, 17-8 1/2. Each missed their first attempts at the height, but then made the necessary adjustments and cleared on their second tries. That was all that was needed to make the final, which will take place Thursday at 5:05 p.m. Katie (Follett) Mackey was entered in the women's 5,000-meter prelims but she did not start today, apparently choosing to focus solely on the 1,500m. When things pick up again on Thursday, the finals for the discus and pole vault will be the focal points, along with the first round of the women's 1,500-meters, which will feature sophomore Katie Flood and Mackey. |
