Olympic Training Center Track & Field Athletes Ready for Olympic Trials
CHULA VISTA, Calif. – The Track & Field athletes who make their home at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista will finally have the chance at their Olympic dreams. The USA Track & Field Olympic Trials begin this weekend in Eugene , Ore. Competition begins on Friday, June 27 and runs through Sunday, July 6. Athletes with the Olympic ‘A’ Standard who finish in the top-three of their respective events will earn a trip to Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games.
The Olympic Training Center is sending a highly talented group of athletes to the Track & Field Team Olympic Trials. The Training Center team features 19 athletes, with seven Olympians and four Olympic medalists. Tim Mack and Toby Stevenson , reigning Olympic gold and silver medalists, lead a strong pole vault contingent that includes 2000 Olympic gold medalist Stacy Dragila. The throwing disciplines also feature great depth with 2004 Olympians Ian Waltz and Jarred Rome (both discus). San Diegan and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Monique Henderson is another member of the Olympic Training Center squad.
The 2007 Track and Field Resident Team is led by USATF High Performance Team Manager/Head Coach Ty Sevin. Assisting Sevin are Al Joyner, Joaquim Cruz and Bryan ‘Bud’ Rasmussen. Joyner, gold medalist in the Triple Jump at the 1984 Olympic Games, primarily works with jumps events. Cruz, an Olympic Gold Medalist in the 800m, trains middle-distance runners as well as the entire Paralympic Track & Field team. Rasmussen, former throws coach at the University of Washington , is responsible for the throws events (discus, shot put, hammer, javelin).
Chula Vista Track & Field Athletes:
Name Hometown College Event
Simi Adeagbo Louisville , Kentucky Kentucky Triple Jump
Becky Breisch Edwardsburg, Mich. Nebraska Discus
Kassi Anderson Provo , Utah Brigham Young Steeplechase
Stacy Dragila*# Auburn , Calif. Idaho State Pole Vault
Tora Harris* Atlanta , Ga. Princeton High Jump
Mike Hazle Temple , Texas Texas State Javelin
Monique Henderson*# San Diego , Calif. UCLA 400m
Tim Mack*# Cleveland , Ohio Tennessee Pole Vault
Akiba McKinney San Diego , Calif. Florida Metro Long Jump
Trevell Quinley Tracy , Calif. Arizona State Long Jump
Bashir Ramzy Dallas , Texas Texas A&M Long Jump
Jon Rankin San Diego , Calif. UCLA 800m/1500m
Jarred Rome * Marysville , Wash. Boise State Discus
Alice Schmidt Omaha , Neb. North Carolina 800m
Sara Slattery Phoenix , Ariz. Colorado 10,000m
Steve Slattery Flanders , N.J. Colorado Steeplechase
Toby Stevenson*# Odessa , Texas Stanford Pole Vault
Mary Vincent San Dimas , Calif. Azusa Pacific Pole Vault
Ian Waltz* Post Falls , Idaho Washington State Discus
*Olympian
#Olympic Medalist
Diana Wright
Athlete & Community Relations Coordinator
United States Olympic Committee
2800 Olympic Training Center
Chula Vista, CA 91915
Office: (619) 482-6119
Cell: (619) 454-5541
| 
