Alamosa, Colo.- Starting on Monday, ten current and former Adams State track & field student-athletes will travel around the world for the 2024 Olympic Team trials. The current and former Grizzly hopefuls will be competing at four different Olympic Trials while one athlete will be hoping to be selected through the Universality Selection Consideration for the 2024 Olympic Games.
WHAT TO KNOW:
USATF Olympic Team Trials
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Five time NCAA Division II national champion and national record holder Gracie Hyde '24 is looking to punch her tickets to Paris in both the 3000m steeplechase and 1500m. This past spring, Hyde broke the NCAA Division II 3000m steeplechase record with a time of 9:28.17 and held the second fastest time in the entire NCAA System leading into the Division I National Championships. Hyde is also looking to capitalize on the NCAA Division II record she broke on June 10th in the 1500m with a time of 4:07.60.
France Athletics Championships
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Another NCAA Division II record holder for the Grizzlies, rising senior Romain Legendre, will be competing in the 5000m finals in Angers, France. Legendre holds the indoor and outdoor 5000m record and was runner-up in the event at the 2024 NCAA Division II Indoor Championship. He also captured the National Championship in the event at the 2024 NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships in Emporia, Kansas. At the European Athletics Championship in Rome, Italy, Legendre finished 13th and was the first French athlete across the line.
Adams State Alum Clement Duigou '23, a six time All-American in indoor and outdoor track & field will be competing in the 3000m steeplechase. Duigou was the National Runner-up in the 3000m steeplechase in 2022 and placed third in 2023. After graduating from Adams State, Duigou served as a graduate assistant for the Grizzlies in 2023-2024 while continuing to compete.
Athletics Ireland National Outdoor Senior Championships
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Two time All-American, rising junior Fiona Hawkins, will compete in the 1500m at the Ireland Senior National Championships. The U20 Ireland National record holder in the 5000m (16:07.55) will be competing in Santry, Ireland.
Following the 2023-2024 season which saw her as the National Runner-up in the 3000m steeplechase, rising junior Ava O'Connor will compete in the 3000m steeplechase on June 30th. In her last outing, O'Connor, the five time All-American, placed first at the British Milers Club Grand Prix.
After earning an All-American honor after finishing fifth at the NCAA Division II National Championships in the 400m hurdles, rising sophomore Victoria Amiadamen was the fastest freshman in the event in the 2024 season with a time of 59.08.
Adams State Alums and twins Eilish Flanagan '18 and Roisin Flanagan '19 will be competing in the 5000m finals for Ireland
Eilish represented Ireland at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the 3000m steeplechase. During her time as an Adams State student-athlete, she was a National Champion in the 3000m steeplechase and a twelve time All-American in cross country and track & field.
Roisin represented Ireland at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in the 3000m. During her time as an Adams State student-athlete, she won two national championships in the Distance Medley Relay and was a fourteen time All-American in cross country and track & field.
UK Athletics Championships
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Rising senior Elena Carey will be competing in the 3000m steeplechase at the UK Athletics Championships. Carey is a two time All-American at Adams State in the mile and 1500m and ran a personal best time of 9:55.44 in the steeplechase at the Portland Twilight.
Universality Selection Considerations
A school record holder in both the indoor and outdoor 4x400m relay team, Isila Apkup '24 is looking to be considered for the 2024 Paris Olympics through Universality Places for Papua New Guinea. According to olympics.com "Universality Places are a lifeline to athletes from underrepresented National Olympic Committees. They are designed to increase the diversity of participating nations across the sports programme of the Olympic Games… Universality Places are available in the qualification systems of select sports with traditionally small delegations''
As a member of the mixed 4x400m relay team, Apkup set the national record in the event for Papua New Guinea, along with being a member of the 4x400m relay team for Adams State at the indoor and outdoor national championships.
Grizzly Schedule
All times in Mountain Time
Monday, June 24th
6:59 PM: US 3000m Steeplechase Prelims - Gracie Hyde
Thursday, June 27th
8:18 PM: US 3000m Steeplechase Finals - Gracie Hyde
Friday, June 28th
12:15 PM: French 5000m Finals - Romain Legendre
Saturday, June 29th
5:30 AM: Irish 5000m Finals - Eilish & Roisin Flanagan
7:30 AM: Irish 1500m Prelims - Fiona Hawkins
12:50 PM: French 3000m Steeplechase Finals - Clement Duigou
1:00 PM: UK 3000m Steeplechase Finals - Elena Carey
Sunday, June 30th
5:30 AM: Irish 3000m Steeplechase Finals - Ava O'Connor
5:50 AM: Irish 400m Hurdles - Victoria Amiadamen
7:15 AM: Irish 1500m Finals - Fiona Hawkins
