RENO, Nev. Coming off a career-best 13th place finish in the javelin at the 2008 NCAA National Championships, senior thrower Inger Appanaitis will compete in the 2008 Track and Field Olympic Trials June 27 and 30 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Appanaitis, who is the third track and field athlete in school history to qualify for the Olympic Trials, set an Olympic “B” qualifying standard in the javelin (168’00”) at the 2008 WAC Outdoor Championships in May. Jennifer Ashcroft (pole vault, 2000) and Ali McKnight (heptathlon, 1996 and 2000) are the other two Pack track and field athletes who have participated in the Olympic Trials.
“Our primary goal is to make it to finals,” throws coach TJ Crater said. “Inger is more than capable of making the finals with a solid but not perfect throw. Our short term goal is to go to the finals and have a shot at being in the top five.”
The prelims of the javelin are scheduled for Saturday at 12:45 p.m. Each athlete gets three throws in the prelims and the top 12 advance to the finals on Monday. On Monday, the 12 top athletes again get three throws and the top nine will advance to the final round and will get three more throws. At most, three athletes will qualify and represent the United States at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, August 8-24.
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