The United States Olympic Trials are taking place in Eugene, Oregon, this week and several current and former Rebels are taking part in the action. Sam Kendricks and Brittney Reese, two of Ole Miss’ most successful track athletes, have already staked their claim to a U.S. roster spot.
Kendricks, who attended The University of Mississippi from 2012 to 2014, had what must have been a memorable start to his U.S. Olympic career as he set a Trials record in the pole vault. After qualifying for the finals on Saturday, Kendricks cleared an incredible 5.91m/19-4.75. In fittingly patriotic fashion, the Army Reserve Second Lieutenant had beaten his closest competitor by almost a foot. If that wasn’t enough, Tim Mack, the man who held the previous Olympic Trials pole vault record from 2004, was on hand to place the gold medal around Kendricks’ neck. Kendrick’s will now get the opportunity to serve his country in a new way as he represents the United States at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games later this summer.
Kendricks wasn’t the only one setting Olympic Trials records this week. Brittney Reese, an NCAA women’s outdoor long jumper at Ole Miss from 2007 to 2008, also flew past a previous Trials record by jumping 7.31m/23-11.75 on Saturday. Her jump not only got her the record, but was also the longest women’s jump since 2004, as well as the longest American women’s jump since 1998. On top of that, her jump earned her the ninth spot on the list of all-time women’s long jumpers. Reese is only 6 inches behind American track icon Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who was present at the meet to hand out medals. The Gulfport native is the first Rebel to qualify for more than one Olympic Games after participating in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and receiving a gold in long jump at the 2012 London Games.
Several other Ole Miss track and field stars have gotten off to flying starts at Eugene including current student-athlete M.J. Erb. The junior out of Farmington, New York, ran a 8:37.60 in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase, earning him a spot in today’s finals and a shot at Olympic qualification. Isiah Young, a Rebel athlete from 2011 to 2012, advanced all the way to the 100-meter dash semifinals before missing the cutoff. He will have another opportunity to represent the United States at Rio through the 200-meter dash, which kicks off today. Additionally, Craig Engels finished fourth on Monday in the men’s 800-meter dash. His time, a personal-best 1:46.03, earned him the second all-time spot on the Ole Miss 800-meter dash rankings, but sadly, he finished one spot short of qualification. He will have another chance to compete in Rio, however, as he will compete in the 1500 meter run at 7:21 p.m.
Rebels volunteer assistant coach Gwen Berry also competed, placing second in the women’s hammer throw competition and qualifying for Rio.
The Olympic Trials continue today, with multiple Ole Miss athletes competing, including Raven Saunders, who broke the NCAA women’s shot out record en route to winning another national championship last month. Saunders competes in the women’s shot put at 1 p.m.
