Tagged: Qualifying

A pole vaulter with roots in Seattle and Spokane hopes the second time will be the charm at the Olympics. Brad Walker secured a return trip to the Summer Games with a first place finish at the U.S. Track and Field Trials in Eugene Thursday night. Back in 2008, the former University of Washington Husky set a new American record, qualified for the Olympic team, but then didn’t clear a single height at the Beijing Olympics. Walker says he wants “redemption” very badly this summer.

It was a good night for local Summer Olympics hopefuls Thursday in Eugene. A very good night, in fact. A half dozen athletes with ties to the Northwest earned spots in the London Games. Correspondent Tom Banse reports from the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team Trials.

The capacity crowd at Eugene’s historic Hayward Field saved its biggest roar for last… for the dramatic finish in the men’s 5000 meters.

A fourth or fifth place finish tends to bring excruciating disappointment at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Top three qualify for the Summer Olympics, normally. But fourth and fifth place was good enough Monday night for two Olympic hopefuls from the Northwest. Correspondent Tom Banse has the explanation from the track and field team trials in Eugene.

The 2012 U.S. Olympic Team qualifying action continues Monday at Hayward Field in Eugene with the possibility of another all-Oregon podium sweep. Three Eugene-based runners are in the final of the men’s 800 meters. Earlier this weekend, three Portland runners swept the men’s 10,000 meters race at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for track and field. Still, the talk of Tracktown remains the world record breaking performance in the decathlon by Oregon native Ashton Eaton. Bryan Clay was the 2008 Olympic decathlon champion, but in these Trials he trailed far behind Eaton.