NSU's Hoover advances, Hatten prepares at Eugene
By:
Updated: June 28, 2012
EUGENE,
Ore. - Northwestern State great Trecey Rew Hoover kept her Olympic hopes
alive Thursday, while another former Lady Demon All-American, Samantha Ford
Hatten, prepared for the qualifying round of the javelin on Friday at the USA
Olympic Trials for track and field hosted by the University of Oregon.
Hoover, who married over the winter, was the 12th and final
qualifier among a field of 24 shot putters Thursday afternoon and advanced to
Friday's final in hopes of making the Team USA roster for the Summer
Olympic Games in London. Throwing in a cold, steady rain, Hoover posted an
opening mark of 54-4 that was good enough to advance her to Friday's 3:30 PDT
final.
She
threw 52-1 on her second try and 54-4 on the third, while 13th-place
finisher Felisha Johnson posted a 54-2 best and did not advance. Jillian
Camarena-Williams was the leader at 63-4, followed by Michelle Carter at 60-6
and Sarah Stevens-Walker at 60-1. Contestants will get three more throws
Friday.
Hatten
competes Friday at 2:30 in her second Olympic Trials, hoping to improve on her
eighth-place finish in 2004. She is among 24 contestants trying to survive for
the 12-woman final on Sunday at 2:45.
The top three finishers in each event make the Olympic Team, with fourth-place
finishers as alternates. With triple jumpers LaMark Carter (2000) and Kenta
Bell (2004, 2008), NSU has had alumni competing at the last three Olympic Games
for Team USA. Neither Bell or Carter is competing in Eugene.
In the shot put, Hoover has a personal best of 58-8.
