Author Archives | Hannah Bonnie

Tracktown Summer Series could help revitalize professional track and field in U.S.

For many years, while the American track and field circuit snoozed during the summer months, athletes would migrate to Europe to compete on the international level during Europe’s thriving summer season.

This meant that during the summer, professional track and field in America is basically non-existent, but that is all about to change.

In May of this year, TrackTown, USA announced a new professional league for American track and field athletes set to begin this summer titled the TrackTown Summer Series.

“One of the big things is the opportunity for us to use this as a platform to build an interest in the United States,” TrackTown president Vin Lananna said at a press conference on Thursday.

The league will consist of four teams from San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York and Portland. The teams are made up of 36 athletes, 16 of which (eight men and eight women) were selected through a draft that took place on June 25. The remaining 20 athletes on each team were selected through free agency.

Notable athletes include Nike Oregon project runner and former University of Oregon star Matthew Centrowitz, who will be competing for New York in the 800-meter, and Jasmine Todd, who will be competing in the long jump for Philadelphia.

The league will also feature 17 athletes bound for the Rio Olympics, which begins on August 5. The inaugural meet will air on ESPN and take place on July 29 at Hayward Field, giving the Olympians an extra meet to prepare for Rio.

“We certainly want to have athletes continue to promote their brand throughout the world,” said Lananna. “We really want them to promote their brand in the United States, and there’s no better place than to do it here.”

Oregon Track Club Elite’s Ben Blankenship is thankful for the chance to compete without having to fly to another continent.

“Having the opportunity to run here at Hayward; back on my home track with the team environment, and kind of the first meet of its kind, is one of the best opportunities I could ask for,” Blankenship said at the press conference.

That isn’t the only appealing aspect of the league for the athletes; the inaugural meet gives them a chance to win some prize money. Each member of the winning team will earn $1,000. The top six finishers in each of the 20 events will win $4,000 for first place, $3,000 for second, $2,000 for third, and so on. The athletes that were selected in the draft were also compensated.

Though there will only be one meet this summer, Lananna hopes to expand it to three meets by next summer and five meets by 2018.

“I can’t think of a better way to spend a Friday night in the summer in this community than coming out to Hayward Field and seeing world class track and field,” TracTown CEO Michael Reilly said.

Follow Hannah Bonnie on Twitter @hbonnie03

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Eugene Emeralds fail to win back-to-back games against the Hillsboro Hops

Though the Eugene Emeralds held an early 2-0 after the first inning, it was all Hillsboro Hops for the final eight innings as they won 8-2 Tuesday at PK Park Tuesday evening.

In the first inning Chris Pieters hit a two run homerun to give Eugene a 2-0 lead. After that, though, the Emeralds were kept scoreless, missing out on a chance to clinch the first half title in the Northwest League South Division.

Eugene starting pitcher Bryan Hudson managed to maintain the lead through the third inning, as the Hops only scored once during the second when Luis Veras scored after drawing a walk and stealing second and third.

Walks quickly became a common theme during the game for the Hillsboro batters; Hudson walked six, and in total, Eugene pitchers walked 17 batters, which was close to the team record of 22.

It all went downhill from there for Eugene. During the fourth inning, the bases were loaded with the Hops’ Veras, Manny Jefferson, and Marcus Wilson on third, second and first base, respectively. Luis Silverio then hit a bases-clearing double to give the Hops a 4-2 lead.

The Ems switched pitchers in the top of the fifth to Andin Diaz, though this brought little success. Again, the Hops loaded the bases before former University of Oregon shortstop Mark Karaviotis scored two more runs with a single to extend the lead to 6-2.

The Emeralds switched their pitcher again in the next inning to Enrique De Los Rios, while the Hops scored again in a similar way. The bases were loaded once again after three players walked. Luis Veras then hit a sacrifice fly, which was caught by left fielder Kevonte Mitchell, allowing Hernandez to score.

Though the bases were loaded, no one else scored during that inning. Lowery was thrown out at home after Garcia caught Karaviotis’s hit in the outfield and threw it to catcher Tyler Payne.

Hillsboro would score again in the ninth inning. With Jefferson on third, Wilson on second and Silverio on first, Hernandez hit another sacrifice fly to increase the lead to 8-2.

The Emeralds will get a rematch and another chance to clinch the Wednesday evening at PK Park.

Follow Hannah Bonnie on Twitter @hbonnie03

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First-time Olympian Barbara Nwaba wins heptathlon

Barbara Nwaba was on her victory lap after winning the heptathlon on Sunday at the U.S. Olympic Trials when she spotted her mom in the crowd, who had come up to Eugene from Los Angeles to surprise her.

“When I saw her I was like, ‘Oh my god,’” Nwaba said. “I couldn’t believe it.”

Her mom didn’t want her to get distracted by searching for her in the crowd while she was competing, so without telling Nwaba, she flew to Eugene to witness her winning the heptathlon with 6,494 points to earn a spot on her first Olympic team after missing out in 2012.

Heather Miller-Koch also missed the Olympic team that year, yet this year, it was a different story as she placed second with a score of 6,423, a personal-record. In third was Kendell Williams, who scored 6,402, which was also a personal-record.

The three of them had finished in the top three after the first day of events on Saturday. Nwaba was in first with 3,822 points, Williams was in second with 3,903 and Miller-Koch was in third with 3,892.

On the Saturday, Nwaba placed tenth in the 100-meter hurdles, an event that she has struggled with in the past, with a time of 13.65 seconds.

“Once I did that, I was like, ‘Okay. Game over. I’m going to do my best in every event now,’” Nwaba said.

Nwaba found success in the high jump by hitting a personal-best of 6 feet, 2¾ inches as she won the event. The mark was a Hayward Field record and tied the meet record. At the end of day one, she was 70 points ahead of her personal record.

“I just felt so bouncey,” Nwaba said. “I was just ready to go.”

She also was successful the second day during the javelin throw as she threw the second best throw of her life at 161 feet, 4 inches, which earned her second place for the event.

Going into the final event, the 800-meter, Nwaba was in good position to make the Olympic team, which allowed her to relax and focus on the task at hand. She entered the event 40 points ahead of Williams..

“I was in the lead already, so there was not much pressure,” Nwaba said.

There was more pressure on Miller-Koch, as she was in third place and was trying to fend off Sharon Day-Monroe, who was only 25 points behind her. She was able to win the 800 in 2 minutes, 9.97 seconds.

“I trained really hard for the 800,” Nwaba said. “So, I was ready to do that.”

Follow Hannah Bonnie on Twitter @hbonnie03 

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Two former Florida Gators finish 1-2 in men’s triple jump

It was a repeat of the triple jump event of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials as former University of Florida standouts Christian Taylor and Will Claye made their second Olympic team Saturday on Day nine of the U.S Track and Field Olympic Trials.

Only this time, they switched podium spots.

“When we put that USA across our chests, we feel like superheroes,” Claye said.

After finishing runner-up to Taylor at the trials in 2012, Claye won the event on Saturday with a jump of 57 feet, 11 inches as Taylor closely followed him at 57-0 ¾. Behind them was first time Olympian Chris Bernard, who finished third with a jump of 56-5 ¾, a personal record. His third jump was only a centimeter from his former personal-best.

For much of the event, Claye lead the field. He started the competition off by jumping 55-11 ¾. He improved his distances each of his first three jumps, remaining in first until Taylor jumped 57-0 on his third jump. Taylor furthered improved that mark on his final jump of 57-0 ¾.

“I can always respond if I need to, but when I knew I made the team, that was the most important goal of the weekend,” Taylor said.

Claye decided to pass on his final jump because he knew that he had already made the team as well.

“It’s been an emotional rollercoaster this week,” Claye said. “Me and my coach were just sitting there like, ‘you finally did it,’ and it just brought me to tears.”

Earlier this week, Claye placed third in the long jump but wasn’t able to hit the Olympic standard, missing it by one centimeter. Because of that, he missed his chance to go to Rio in that event. Yet, he will be going to Rio anyway, competing in what he admits is his better event, but it wasn’t without some difficulty.

Coming into the world championships in Beijing in 2015, Claye had two degenerated discs in his back, which made him unable to train for six weeks.

“To see Will jump and back in great form is very exciting for me,” Taylor said.

When asked how he felt about finishing second place to Claye, Taylor said, “I know it sounds weird, but it’s actually exciting…. I was undefeated for a while now, and I think when you lose, you start to challenge yourself.”

The two  be looking for a repeat performance of the 2012 London Olympics where Taylor won the gold and Claye won the silver.

“I believe that we could go 1,2,3 in Rio,” Claye said. “I feel like we have the fight in us, and we’re competing for the best team in the world.”

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Three American women qualify for Olympics in triple jump for first time in two decades

For the first time since 1996, the United States will have a full women’s triple jump team for the Olympics.

Leading the bunch is Keturah Orji, who’s fifth jump of 46 feet 11 ¾ inches was the seventh best jump in U.S. history. Orji led for the entire competition, setting up a decent lead for herself by jumping 46-10.

“I’m happy to have other people jumping there, support there, and hopefully we can be really competitive,” said Orji.

Coming into the trials, Orji was one of two triple jumpers who had already hit the standard. The other one was Andrea Geubelle, who ended up finishing in third with a distance of 45-9 ¼.

In second place was an athlete who achieved the standard while she was competing, Christina Epps. After fouling her first two jumps, Epps finally got on the board with a jump of 44-4 ¾. On her fifth jump, she improved to 45-9 ¼, which hit the standard. She moved from fifth place to second with that jump.

“My stomach was dropped and I had butterflies,” Epps said. “I was just like ‘Oh man, please be 14-15 (meters).’”

The women’s triple jump was added to the Olympics in 1996, and no American woman has ever placed. All three of the jumpers are under 25, so they may be around for a while. This gives the United States hope that perhaps one of them will bring home the first triple jump Olympic medal.

“We’re all so young,” said Geubelle. “We have so many years until we’re technically at our peak as triple jumpers.”

The men’s triple jump began its first round today. Out of 25 competitors, 12 made it to the next round, including Christian Taylor, who finished third, and Will Claye, who finished in 9th.

Taylor is the defending and Olympic Champion. On his first jump, he automatically qualified for the next round with a distance of 55-4 ¼.

Claye, the defending silver medalist, did not fare so well. After fouling his first jump, he hit a mark of 53-8 ½ on his second. He then decided to pass on his third attempt .

“I just felt like I was in a comfortable position to where I’ll make it to the finals,” Claye said. “I’ve got to go out there and focus on the finals now and do all I need to do to make the team.”

Matthew O’Neal won the event, jumping 55-8 ¼ on his final turn. Barely behind him was Donald Scott with a mark of 55-7 ¾.

The final for the men’s triple jump will take place on Saturday, giving the athletes a day to rest.

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Several athletes meet Olympic mark as Hayward Field hosts hammer throw for first time

History was made on Wednesday during the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials. For the first time, the hammer throw took place on Hayward Field as opposed to tucked away in the back field.

Hammer throw is considered too dangerous to be held on the main field with other events. In fact, most high schools don’t even allow it. Because of this, it often gets overlooked.

To make this event possible, former Olympian Lance Deal, who won the silver medal in the 1996 Olympics, helped oversee the building of a temporary hammer cage.

“I was nervous. The guys kept hitting it,” said Deal, laughing. “What a great way to spend an off day at the Olympic trials…. It was the best atmosphere that I have ever been around.”

The athletes also appreciated competing at Hayward.

“We don’t get to feel that magic out in the back field,” Amber Campbell said. “So to be able to compete in the center at Hayward in the middle of the day with an amazing crowd, there’s nothing like it.”

Campbell eventually went on to win the women’s hammer final, but the competition was intense. On her fourth throw, Campbell broke her own meet record (235 feet, 7 inches) with a distance of 236-3. If that wasn’t exciting enough, the eventual second-place finisher, Gwen Berry, broke the meet record again by an inch. Deanna Price threw directly after her and broke it with a throw of 239-9. On Campbell’s final throw, she reclaimed the record at 242-10.

“I knew after that fifth throw that I was on the team, so I was just like, ‘Just have some fun and see what happens,’” Campbell said. “I

Former Oregon standout Britney Henry placed tenth overall, not enough to qualify for the finals, so she finished after three throws. Her furthest throw was 217-6, only two inches away from ninth place, which would have allowed her to participate in the finals.

“It was close, yeah, but close only counts in horseshoes and grenades,” said Henry.

At 31-years-old, Henry is thinking about retiring. She said, in tears, that she wasn’t sure yet, but retirement is in her near future.

“I love the hammer,” Henry said. “I love it so much, but some point in time, I need to move on.”

As for the men, none of the athletes going into the meet had met the Olympic qualifying standard. They had each hoped to reach 252 feet 6 inches at the event.

But none of them hit the mark. The winner, Rudy Winkler, got close. His furthest throw of 251-10 was on his fourth attempt, but he wasn’t able to improve from there. Winkler has hit the mark before, but it wasn’t in an official competition.

“I still feel like I have more. I think I can throw further,” Winkler said. “I was really hoping to get the Olympic standard so I don’t have worry about getting an invitation.”

But, Winkler has a good chance of receiving an invitation. Only 23 athletes have actually have the standard, and more than that will participate in the Olympic games.

“A lot of people are getting invitations, and I think I’m in that group,” said Winkler.

Finishing in second was Kibwe Johnson with a throw of 246-5. Behind him was Conor McCullough, throwing 243-4 on his first throw.

Oregon’s Greg Skipper, who just finished his senior season with the Ducks, placed 12th overall with a throw of 223-4. He fouled his final two attempts, and was unable to improve on his opening mark. But he enjoyed competing wearing his Oregon jersey on Hayward, something he never got the chance to do before.

“It was a good feeling to put on the jersey one more time,” Skipper said.

Follow Hannah Bonnie on Twitter @hbonnie03

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Two former Oregon standouts will represent U.S. in men’s javelin at Rio

Two Oregon athletes qualified for the Olympics and one Oregon athlete suffered a devastating defeat on Monday during the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials.

During the javelin final, Cyrus Hostetler pumped up the crowd at Hayward Field by beginning to clap before he was about to take his fifth throw. When the crowd began clapping and picking up rhythm, he unleashed a throw that would be the furthest throw of the competition at 273 feet, 1 inch.

“I definitely knew that the only way that I was going to throw far is to really get that crowd behind me and kind of absorb the energy of Hayward Field,” said Hostetler.

In celebration, he ran across the track, slightly disrupting the men’s 5,000-meter, to hug his coach, Christina Sherwin, who was a volunteer coach at Oregon while he was there.

“She is definitely the reason why I’ve thrown so far and done so well this year and in years past,” Hostetler said. “I just wanted to give her a big hug. Everything goes to her.”

Behind him, in second place, was Curtis Thompson. On his first throw, Thompson threw 271-11, missing the Olympic standard by 12 centimeters. He wasn’t able to improve from there, so Thompson did not reach the qualifying standard and will not be able to compete at the Olympics.

Third place finisher Riley Dolezal finished with a distance of 261-4 to round out the podium, but also missed the qualifying standard. He fouled his last two throws, so he also wasn’t able to improve on his fourth throw and earn the standard.

Because of this, accompanying Hostetler to Rio will be another former Duck, Sam Crouser. Crouser finished fourth with a throw of 256-1, but had already eclipsed the Olympic standard earlier this season, meaning he will be able to compete in Rio despite missing out on a top three finish.

“I wasn’t throwing as far as I wanted, but it was better than what it has been throughout the year,” Crouser said. He began training in February, which was later than he wanted, due to tendinitis. Because of that, his performance this season hasn’t met his own expectations.

Later in the day, during the women’s 800 meter final, Raevyn Rogers looked to be in good position to make the Olympic team. She was in second place through the first lap, but around the 600 meter mark, Brenda Martinez and Alysia Montano clipped shoes, sending Montano to the ground and knocking Rogers off her stride.

“I just remember getting grabbed,” said Rogers. “I got pulled back, but things like that happen for a reason.”

The collision took Montano out of the race entirely, and effected the performance of several other runners, including Rogers. of Kate Grace was able to coast through the finish line and win the race in 1 minute, 59.10 seconds. Behind her was Ajee Wilson and Chrishuna Williams, finishing in 1:59.51 and 1:59.59, respectively. Rogers finished in fifth in 2:00.59.

“I had to mature and really consider myself one of them and not underestimate abilities on my age and my situation going into the race,” Rogers said.

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Jasmine Todd: “It hasn’t been my year.”

July 2 was the last day Jasmine Todd would wear her Oregon singlet.

“I asked Coach Johnson if I was able to wear it, and he allowed me to wear the uniform one last time,” Todd said to reporters on Saturday. “So I kind of ended in the right way.”

Todd was a five-time All-American at Oregon and became yet another Duck sprinter who found success on the national stage. At the 2015 U.S. Outdoor Championships, she finished third in the 100 and fourth in the long jump with a school-record leap of  22-5 ¼.

But her career at Oregon came to a sudden halt when she was not able to compete in the NCAA Championships in June due to academic ineligibility. Though Todd technically has one year left of eligibility to compete collegiately — due to the fact that she missed most of her freshman season because of an injury — she most likely will not be returning to Oregon.

Just like her junior season, Todd’s push for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics also came to a sudden halt. On Sunday, during the third day of the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials, Todd failed to qualify for the finals in the women’s 100-meter. She placed last in her heat, and second to last overall with a time of 11.30 seconds.

“It hasn’t been my year this year,” said Todd. “But, how many people can say that it hasn’t been their year, but they made it to the Olympic trials? You can’t be too mad at that.”

The day before, she competed in both the final of the long jump and the first round of the women’s 100 meter dash, one right after the other. She had just finished her final jump when she was rushed to the starting line.

“I wish they didn’t put the long jump and the 100 in the same session, because it’s a lot on the body,” Todd said. “I didn’t really have 24 hours to recover, either.”

This isn’t the first time that Todd has competed in both events in the same day. During the 2015 Pac 12 Track and Field Championships, Todd competed in both events, finishing in first in the 100 with a time of 11.18 seconds and second in the long jump with a distance of 20 feet, 8.5 inches.

“I was definitely in a lot better shape than I am this year,” said Todd.

Saturday yielded much different results. Todd finished last in the long jump with a distance of 19-9¾, missing the Olympic team by a wide margin. Todd was about three feet away from the third place finisher (DeLoach jumped 22-9).

During the preliminary round on Friday, Todd jumped 21-2 ¾ and placed 12th out of 25 competitors to earn the final semifinal spot. Though it was a much further jump that her best semifinal mark, she would have only improved to 9th place had she jumped the same distance on Saturday.

As for the 100m, she was the last person that qualified to the second round. She had a time of 11.26, finishing fourth in her heat behind Tori Bowie, Barbara Pierre, and Kimberlyn Duncan.

With her collegiate career likely over, Todd will have to chart a new course, away from the school where she found so much success.

“My body just feels a little burnt out,” said Todd on Sunday. “I’ll be back next year, better than ever.”

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Raevyn Rogers and Marcus Chambers advance to Saturday semi-finals

During the first day of the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials, both Oregon athletes Raevyn Rogers and Marcus Chambers qualified for the semifinals in the women’s 800 and the men’s 400, respectively.

For Rogers, there was a brief fear that she wouldn’t make the team, as she finished third in her heat. Only the top two finishers in each of the five heats were guaranteed a spot in the next round. Roger’s heat was one of the fastest and the closest, with three of the runners making the next round based on their time, including Rogers. She finished tenth overall, while the two that finished behind her, Olicia Williams and Anima Banks, finished in 11th and 12th.

She admits to being nervous prior to the race, shaking at the starting line. Rogers pulled out of the first turn in fourth place, with a noticeable gap between her and third place. On the final straightway, Rogers managed to pull into third, finishing just .14 seconds behind second place finisher, McKayla Fricker, with a time of 2 minutes, 1.67 seconds.

It was a particularly quick race; the first place finisher, Kate Grace, finished in 2:01.36.

“I remember looking at the clock and seeing 54. I was like ‘Woah, this is fast,” Rogers said.

Rogers seemed torn by her finish. On one hand, she did qualify. But, on the other, she is used to being the fastest on the track and winning. After all, she was a two-time NCAA Champion from her first two years in college.

“This is just a reminder that everybody else wants it just as bad as I do, but I want it worse. I want it more,” said Rogers. “I know that everyone can be beaten. I can be beaten. Anyone here can be beaten, so just taking that into consideration and not belittling myself.”

Chambers’ race went a bit more smoothly. Although he spent the first part of the race in fourth, he unleashed a strong kick on the last straightaway to push him into second, with a time of 45.87 seconds. He finished 11th overall.

David Verburg finished with a time of 45.31; the fastest preliminary time and the fastest in Chambers’ heat.

“I know Verburg likes to get down and go fast, so I mean, I can’t change my race plan just because he’s going fast,” said Chambers. “I just kicked at the end to make sure I got second.”

Chambers said that he and Coach Robert Johnson’s plan going into his race was just to make sure that he got second and automatically qualified. Looking forward to the next round, Chambers is understandably nervous.

“Next, semis is the hardest thing to do,” Chambers said. “Everyone is going balls to the wall to make the finals.”

Follow Hannah Bonnie on Twitter @hbonnie03

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What to watch for: U.S. Olympic Trials field events

In the world of track and field, there tends to be more emphasis on running events than jumping and throwing events. Perhaps it is because these events are longer, making it difficult for viewers to watch all the way through. Regardless, jumping and throwing events are just as entertaining as running events.

The U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials will be a stage for the best athletes in the nation as they run, jump, and throw their way to the Rio Olympics. Here are some of those athletes you should watch for:

Vashti Cunningham – High Jump

Although she is only 18, Cunningham is the No.1 ranked high jumper in the nation with a qualifying mark of 6 feet, 6 ¼ inches. The mark was a World Junior record, which she reached while winning this year’s USA Indoor Track and Field Championships. She continued on to win the IAAF World Indoor Championships.

Chaunté Lowe – High Jump

Lowe has been successful in the high jump for much longer than Cunningham has. She holds the American record for both indoors (6-7½) and outdoors (6-8¾). She participated in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Olympics, reaching the finals in the latter years. She came in sixth place both times. She is also a seven-time USATF Outdoor champion.

Erik Kynard, Jr. – High Jump

As a 21-year-old, during his Olympic debut, Kynard, Jr.  won the silver medal with a jump of 7-7¾. This was his first international medal. In both 2014 and 2015, he won the United States Outdoor National Championships, tying the meet record at 7-9 ¼.

Jesse Williams – High Jump

Williams, of the Nike Oregon Track Club Elite, was the 2011 World Champion, the first American to win the world title in 20 years. Prior to that, he won the U.S. Track & Field Championships with a jump that was a Championship record, a record for Hayward Field and the highest jump in the world at an outdoor meet that year.

Jennifer Suhr – Pole Vault

Suhr is the current Olympic and World champion and has been ranked no.1 nationally for the past two years. Before that, she won a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics. She has won 15 National Championships. Suhr holds the world indoor record at 16-6 and both the national indoor and outdoor record (16-2).

Brittany Reese – Long Jump

In 2012, Reese won the gold medal at the London Olympics. Earlier that year, she won the IAAF World Indoor Championships for the second time, becoming the first women to win back to back titles. During the competition, she set an American record of 23-8¾. The mark was the longest indoors since 1989 and third on the all-time list.

Marquise Goodwin – Long Jump

Goodwin is a wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills, but also competes in the long jump, among other track and field events. In 2012, he qualified for the Olympic team with a mark of 27-4, a distance that would have won the gold medal at the Olympics prior.

Christian Taylor – Triple Jump

Taylor is the reigning Olympic champion and defending World Champion in the triple jump. His personal record of 59-8 3⁄4 is ranked second on the all-time list. He won the World Championships in 2011 and 2015. During the 2011 World Championships, he stunned the field with a jump that ended up being the tenth best jump in history.

Will Claye – Triple Jump

Taylor’s former University of Florida teammate, Claye, won the silver medal during the 2012 London Olympics. Earlier that year, he was the gold medalist at the World Indoor Championships.

Michelle Carter – Shot Put

Carter is the current American record holder with a distance of 66-4 ¾, set at the 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. She was the national champion in 2009, 2011, and 2014.

Joe Kovacs – Shot Put

At this year’s Prefontaine Classic, Kovacs set this year’s world leading distance at 72-7¼. He also had the top throw in the world for 2014 at 72-3.5. He is ranked No. 1 in the nation this year.

Ryan Crouser – Shot Put

Ranked at No. 4 in the nation entering the trials, Crouser had the second best throw in the world this year at 71-8¼. He is the record holder for both the indoor and the outdoor at the University of Texas. During his tenure as  Longhorn, he tied the collegiate indoor record that was set in 2008 by Ryan Whiting.

Sam Mattis – Discus

His personal record of 221-3 is the American collegiate record and the second best mark in collegiate history. He won the 2015 NCAA National Championships, after being the runner up the year before. From 2013-2016, Mattis was the winner of the Ivy League Outdoor Championships.

Kibwe Johnson – Hammer

At the 2012 London Olympics, Johnson made it to the final in the shot put, which no American athlete had done since 1996. He is a three time Pan American Games medalist. In 2007, Johnson took the silver medal. In 2011 and 2015, he took the gold medal, while breaking the Pan American Games  record in 2011.

Conor McCullough – Hammer
McCullough won the 2015 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships. He was also the runner up in the 2015 U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships. At the World Championships of that year, he was the top American, but finished 13th.

Kara Winger – Javelin

Winger is the American record holder with a mark of 218-8. She achieved this by winning the 2010 U.S. Track and Field Championships. During the past two Olympic Trials, Winger made the team but never advanced to the Olympic finals.

Follow Hannah Bonnie on Twitter @hbonnie03

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