Oliver heads HBCU contingent at Olympic Trials
A bevy of former and a few current black college tracksters are poised to seek spots on the 2008 Olympic Track team for this summer's Beijing China Olympics as the U. S. Olympic Trials is held in Eugene, Oregon beginning next Friday, June 27 thru Sunday, July 6 at legendary Hayward Field.
Among the former black college performers that will lead the fields
in their respective events is Howard product
David Oliver who has America's best time in the 110-meter hurdles this year of 12.95. Oliver, who
finished th 2007 season ranked ninth in the world, broke the 13-second barrier
for the first time at a meet in Doha Qatar in May and thrust himself into
the spotlight as one of the favorites for the Olympic gold medal.
The 26-year old is unbeaten in his outdoor season with five wins to his credit. He says on his blog (davidoliverhurdles.blogspot.com/) that he expects the world record of 12.87 seconds, set this month by Cuba's Dayron Robles, to fall soon. His blog reads 'David Oliver! Your mission 12.85.' Robles' time was .01 second better than Olympic favorite Liu Jiang of China's world record of 12.88.
Bethune-Cookman freshman sensation Ronnie Ash, fresh off a third-place finish in the 110 meter hurdles at the NCAA Div. I championships this past weekend, has a provisional qualifying time of 13.44 in the event, among the top 20 best times among Americans.
Former Hampton ('00) 400-meter hurdler and three-time U.S. champion James Carter also has his event's best time (47.72) among Americans. Carter is likely to face former St. Augustine's ('06) hurdler Bershawn Jackson in the finals. Jackson, the 2005 World Outdoor champion, has the fourth-best time this year of 48.13.
Former Southern ('02) long jumper Brian Johnson is the third HBCU product that will enter the Trials with the best performance in his event. Johnson's leap of 8.30 tops his field. Johnson is the 2006 USA Outdoor champion.
Among others competing on the men's side is former St. Augustine's ('03) hurdler Anwar Moore, whose time of 13.12 seconds in the 110 meter hurdles is sixth best. Former Livingstone ('04) sprinter Jordan Vaden has qualified in both the 100 and 200 meters. His 200 meters qualifying time of 20.12 is ninth best.
Former St. Aug's ('07) quarter-miler Jamaal Torrance (45.19) has the 12th best time in the men's 400 meters. Former Morehouse ('07) high jumper Keith Moffatt qualified with the sixth best jump (2.38) in his event. Current St. Augustine's high jumper Joe Kindred, picked this year as the NCAA Div. II Men's Field Athlete of the Year, has the 10th best height.
On the women's side, former Howard ('06) triple jumper Tiombe Hurd, former Hampton ('07) and MEAC standout Yvette Lewis (triple jump and 100 meter hurdles), former Hampton ('07) hurdler Kellie Wells, former St. Aug's ('00) high jumper Adriane Sims-Stone and current Pirate star Francena McCrory (400 meters) are in the field.
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