EUGENE, Ore. -- Washington State University will be represented by seven current or former Cougars and a current assistant coach at the US Olympic Track & Field Trials July 1-10, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
The lone WSU undergraduate is two-time Pac-12 Champion CJ Allen, a rising senior from Allyn, Wash., competing in the men's 400m hurdles along with WSU alum and former USA National Champion, Jeshua Anderson. Allen's qualifying time of 50.16 seconds was run earlier this year and is 26th-fastest among the 28 competitors. Anderson's qualifying time is 48.88, sixth-best in the first round.
A 2016 WSU graduate and current Pac-12 Champion Thane Pierson (Naches, Wash.) will compete in the men's high jump. Pierson cleared 7-feet 3 inches (2.21m) twice this year and his mark is tied for 17th-best among the 23 jumpers.
Jesse Jorgensen, a 2015 WSU graduate and Pac-12 Champion will compete in the men's 800m run. His qualifying time of 1 minute 45.76 seconds is 14th-fastest among the 30 accepted racers.
Bernard Lagat, age 41, a three-time Olympian and Pac-12 T&F Team of the Century member, is scheduled to compete in the 5000m and the 10,000m under his Nike sponsorship. Lagat is a seven-time USA champion in the 5k and his time of 13:14.97 is fourth-best among the 20 runners while his 10k time of 27:49.35 is sixth-fastest among the 24 competitors. Lagat won a bronze medal in the 1,500m at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, won the silver medal in the 1,500m at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and finished fourth in the 5000m at the 2012 Beijing Games.
In women's events, Collier Lawrence, a 2009 Cougar grad, will compete in the women's 3000m steeplechase. Her qualifying time is 9:50.47 and is 24th-best among the 33 accepted entries which include her younger sister, UW graduate Mel Lawrence.
Blessing Ufodiama is a 2004 Cougar graduate and will compete in her third US Olympic Trials in the triple jump. Ufodiama finished fourth in the women's triple jump at both the 2013 and 2014 USA National Outdoor Championships. Her declared mark of 44-0 (13.41m) is 21st-best among the 23 jumpers.
Current WSU assistant track and field assistant coach and two-time Olympian, Brad Walker, will compete in the men's pole vault. Walker, competing for the New York Athletic Club sponsorship, is a five-time USATF Outdoor Champion (2005, 2007, 2012 and 2013). He is the current US men's record-holder after clearing 19-9 3/4 (6.04m) in 2008. Walker's qualifying mark for the Trials is 18-9 1/4 (5.72m) which is tied for third-best among the 18 men competing this week.
In order to become a member of Team USA for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, a competitor must finish in the top three in each event at the Trials, and have achieved the Olympic qualifying standard. In events where there are three or less athletes with the standard mark, USATF historically has jumped over the non-standard mark athlete(s) and included those athletes who have achieved the standard. In certain events, the IAAF may extend an invitation to an athlete based on the current world list in order to fill the field.
The NBC Network will have a combination of digital, cable and broadcast channel coverage of the US Olympic Trials. For the complete schedule go to http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2016/06/27/track-and-field-olympic-trials-broadcast-schedule/.
COUGARS' CHRONOLOGICAL OLYMPIC T&F TRIALS COMPETITION
July 1
6:15 p.m. Men's 10,000m Final - Lagat
7:15 p.m. Men's 800m First Round - Jorgensen
July 2
10:30 a.m. Men's Pole Vault Qualifying - Walker
Noon Men's 800m Semifinals
July 4
3:30 p.m. Men's Pole Vault Final
4:15 p.m. Women's Triple Jump Qualifying - Ufodiama
5:02 p.m. Men's 5000m First Round - Lagat
5:51 p.m. Men's 800m Final
July 7
6:30 p.m. Women's Triple Jump Final
6:53 p.m. Men's 400m Hurdles First Round - Allen & Anderson
7:48 p.m. Women's 3000m Steeplechase Final - Lawrence
July 8
4:00 p.m. Men's High Jump Qualifying - Pierson
4:47 p.m. Men's 400m Hurdles Semifinals
July 9
5:20 p.m. Men's 5000m Final
July 10
3:00 p.m. Men's High Jump Final
4:51 p.m. Men's 400m Hurdles Final
Another WSU assistant coach, Angela Whyte, will be competing in the Canadian Olympic Trials. Whyte, a two-time Olympian, will race in the 100m hurdles qualifying heats July 8 at 5:20 p.m. at Foote Field in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. She has a time of 12.95 seconds, which meets the Olympic standard and it is fifth-best in the Canadian 100m hurdles field.
Last weekend at the USA Junior Championships at Veteran's Memorial Stadium in Clovis, Calif., WSU redshirt freshman Paul Ryan finished 10th in the1500m race (3:54.43) after running the fastest time in the prelims of 3:50.70.
The lone WSU undergraduate is two-time Pac-12 Champion CJ Allen, a rising senior from Allyn, Wash., competing in the men's 400m hurdles along with WSU alum and former USA National Champion, Jeshua Anderson. Allen's qualifying time of 50.16 seconds was run earlier this year and is 26th-fastest among the 28 competitors. Anderson's qualifying time is 48.88, sixth-best in the first round.
A 2016 WSU graduate and current Pac-12 Champion Thane Pierson (Naches, Wash.) will compete in the men's high jump. Pierson cleared 7-feet 3 inches (2.21m) twice this year and his mark is tied for 17th-best among the 23 jumpers.
Jesse Jorgensen, a 2015 WSU graduate and Pac-12 Champion will compete in the men's 800m run. His qualifying time of 1 minute 45.76 seconds is 14th-fastest among the 30 accepted racers.
Bernard Lagat, age 41, a three-time Olympian and Pac-12 T&F Team of the Century member, is scheduled to compete in the 5000m and the 10,000m under his Nike sponsorship. Lagat is a seven-time USA champion in the 5k and his time of 13:14.97 is fourth-best among the 20 runners while his 10k time of 27:49.35 is sixth-fastest among the 24 competitors. Lagat won a bronze medal in the 1,500m at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, won the silver medal in the 1,500m at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and finished fourth in the 5000m at the 2012 Beijing Games.
In women's events, Collier Lawrence, a 2009 Cougar grad, will compete in the women's 3000m steeplechase. Her qualifying time is 9:50.47 and is 24th-best among the 33 accepted entries which include her younger sister, UW graduate Mel Lawrence.
Blessing Ufodiama is a 2004 Cougar graduate and will compete in her third US Olympic Trials in the triple jump. Ufodiama finished fourth in the women's triple jump at both the 2013 and 2014 USA National Outdoor Championships. Her declared mark of 44-0 (13.41m) is 21st-best among the 23 jumpers.
Current WSU assistant track and field assistant coach and two-time Olympian, Brad Walker, will compete in the men's pole vault. Walker, competing for the New York Athletic Club sponsorship, is a five-time USATF Outdoor Champion (2005, 2007, 2012 and 2013). He is the current US men's record-holder after clearing 19-9 3/4 (6.04m) in 2008. Walker's qualifying mark for the Trials is 18-9 1/4 (5.72m) which is tied for third-best among the 18 men competing this week.
In order to become a member of Team USA for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, a competitor must finish in the top three in each event at the Trials, and have achieved the Olympic qualifying standard. In events where there are three or less athletes with the standard mark, USATF historically has jumped over the non-standard mark athlete(s) and included those athletes who have achieved the standard. In certain events, the IAAF may extend an invitation to an athlete based on the current world list in order to fill the field.
The NBC Network will have a combination of digital, cable and broadcast channel coverage of the US Olympic Trials. For the complete schedule go to http://olympics.nbcsports.com/2016/06/27/track-and-field-olympic-trials-broadcast-schedule/.
COUGARS' CHRONOLOGICAL OLYMPIC T&F TRIALS COMPETITION
July 1
6:15 p.m. Men's 10,000m Final - Lagat
7:15 p.m. Men's 800m First Round - Jorgensen
July 2
10:30 a.m. Men's Pole Vault Qualifying - Walker
Noon Men's 800m Semifinals
July 4
3:30 p.m. Men's Pole Vault Final
4:15 p.m. Women's Triple Jump Qualifying - Ufodiama
5:02 p.m. Men's 5000m First Round - Lagat
5:51 p.m. Men's 800m Final
July 7
6:30 p.m. Women's Triple Jump Final
6:53 p.m. Men's 400m Hurdles First Round - Allen & Anderson
7:48 p.m. Women's 3000m Steeplechase Final - Lawrence
July 8
4:00 p.m. Men's High Jump Qualifying - Pierson
4:47 p.m. Men's 400m Hurdles Semifinals
July 9
5:20 p.m. Men's 5000m Final
July 10
3:00 p.m. Men's High Jump Final
4:51 p.m. Men's 400m Hurdles Final
Another WSU assistant coach, Angela Whyte, will be competing in the Canadian Olympic Trials. Whyte, a two-time Olympian, will race in the 100m hurdles qualifying heats July 8 at 5:20 p.m. at Foote Field in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. She has a time of 12.95 seconds, which meets the Olympic standard and it is fifth-best in the Canadian 100m hurdles field.
Last weekend at the USA Junior Championships at Veteran's Memorial Stadium in Clovis, Calif., WSU redshirt freshman Paul Ryan finished 10th in the1500m race (3:54.43) after running the fastest time in the prelims of 3:50.70.