June 28, 2012
U.S. Track and Field Trials Results
Official List of 2012 Sun Devil Olympians (as of June 28, 2012)
Desiree Davila (marathon/USA)
Kelsey Campbell (wrestling/USA)
Zeke Jones (freestyle wrestling head coach/USA)
Alison Williamson (archery/Great Britain)
Amy LePeilbet (soccer/USA)
Riley McCormick (diving/Canada)
Micky Benedetti (diving/Italy)
Rowie Webster (water polo/Australia)
Amy Hastings (track and field/USA)
Ryan Whiting (track and field/USA)
Kyle Alcorn (track and field/USA)
Arizona State All-Time Olympians
Arizona State All-Time Track and Field Olympians
EUGENE, Ore. - The 2012 U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials resumed in a big manner for Arizona State University alumnus Kyle Alcorn, who earned his first-ever Olympic bid after a third-place run in the men's 3,000m steeplechase on Thursday in Eugene, Ore.
Alcorn, who now competes for Nike, clocked an Olympic `A' standard of 8:22.17 at Hayward Field in the final of the men's steeplechase to take the final qualifying spot to London behind Nike teammates Evan Jager and Don Cabral. Alcorn became ASU's first-ever Olympian in the steeplechase with the performance
Alcorn was a two-time NCAA Champion - once in the indoor 3,000-meter run and once in the outdoor steeplechase - and continues to train with Arizona State University head men's cross country coach and assistant coach for distance, Louie Quintana.
Alcorn's exceptional finish was just part of an eventful day for the Sun Devil track and field program in Eugene.
In the men's triple jump preliminaries, senior Chris Benard kept his final season as a Sun Devil alive for another day as he finished sixth overall with a best leap of 16.46m (54-00.00) to easily advance to Saturday's final. Benard, the ASU school record holder in the indoor and outdoor triple jump, is one of several Americans that are bunched tightly together for what looks to be a wide-open battle for the third and final qualifying spot, assuming the likes of Christian Taylor and Will Claye (who finished first and second, respectively, in the prelim round) perform at the level expected.
Alumnus Latosha Wallace ran the ninth-fastest time of the prelim round of the women's 400-meter hurdles in a time of 56.53 to advance to the semifinals in the event. Wallace holds the school's third-fastest time in the event was a fourth-place finisher at the 2007 NCAA Championships.
In the same event, fellow alumnus Jasmine Chaney failed to make the finals after finishing 18th overall in the prelims in 57.82.
In the women's shot put, ASU great Sarah Stevens-Walker cruised to the finals after launching her first throw of the day 18.31m (60-01.00) for the third-best mark of the round. Stevens-Walker, a 15-time All-American at ASU, would then pass on her final two attempts and will battle for a bid to her first Olympics in tomorrow's final
In the women's 200-meter dash, school-record holding alumnus Charonda Williams ran the seventh-fastest time of the opening round to advance to the semifinals. Williams, who now competes for adidas, ran a lightning-quick time of 22.89 to advance.
In the final event of the day, alumnus Brandon Bethke struggled in the 5,000-meter run and would go on to finish 16th overall.
With Alcorn's inclusion, the Sun Devil athletic program is now up to 10 Olympians who are officially qualified to the 2012 London Games and more still have strong shots as the weeks continue to count down to the 30th Olympiad.
As always, for continued coverage of past and present Sun Devils and their road the Olympic glory, stay tuned in to www.TheSunDevils.com