EUGENE, Ore. – Hokies wrapped up a 10-day stint at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and saw several standout performances from current and former Virginia Tech track and field members.
Current Hokies made promising debuts at the Olympic Trials, notably Fitsum Seyoum, who ran a school record 8:28.72 in the qualifying round of the 3000m steeplechase. Seyoum finished just one spot away from advancing to the finals of the event. Other standouts were Essence Henderson and Rachel Baxter. Henderson competed in both the shot put and the discus, where she finished higher than her seeding in both events. In the pole vault, Baxter cleared a season's best height of 14' 5.25" (4.40m) and finished a spot away from the final.
Alumni and assistant coaches impressed as well, with Vincent Ciattei '18 and Hanna Green '17 both advancing to the final round of their events. In the 1500m, Ciattei hung tight in one of the deepest competitions at the trials, eventually finishing 10th in the final. Green battled in the 800m, finishing 8th with a season's best time of 1:59.55. Both Ciattei and Green faced strong competition and extreme weather, as their races were delayed five hours due to extreme heat. Eugene, Ore. had its hottest day in recorded history, with temperatures reaching higher than 110 degrees. The two former Hokies finally took the track late at night, when temperatures had cooled back down to double digits.
Other standouts from the U.S. Olympic Team Trials included Jordan Roach '16 and volunteer assistant coach Bridget Guy. Roach threw himself into the discus final with a heave of 196' 10" (60.01m), and eventually finished 8th in the competition. Guy advanced to the pole vault final where she finished 9th with a clearance of 14' 9" (4.50m).
With a finish in the top three of an event required to punch one's ticket to the Tokyo Olympics, some Hokies will look to either take a well-deserved rest this summer or continue training at the professional level.
Rachel Baxter – 14th (Pole Vault, 14' 5.25" / 4.40m)
Cole Beck – 27th (100m, 10.35)
Chauncey Chambers – 17th (50' 8.75" / 15.46m)
Essence Henderson – 17th (Shot Put, 54' 2.5" / 16.52m) 16th (Discus, 180' 1" / 54.88m)
Fitsum Seyoum – 10th (3000m Steeplechase, 8:28.72)
Kristi Castlin '10 – 16th (100m Hurdles, 12.84)
Vincent Ciattei '18 – 10th (1500m, 3:39.02)
Queen Harrison-Claye '10 – 13th (100m Hurdles, 12.78)
Hanna Green '17 – 8th (800m, 1:59.55)
Drew Piazza '17 – 20th (800m, 1:48.88)
Jordan Roach '16 – 8th (Discus, 194' 4" / 59.25m)
Deakin Volz '19 – 16th (Pole Vault, 18' 4.5" / 5.60m)
Willy Fink – 19th (5000m, 13:54.86)
Bridget Guy – 9th (Pole Vault, 14' 9" / 4.50m)