2012 US Olympic Trials

Scroll down through previews below for each athlete's results each time they compete.
LIVE RESULTS | DyeStat Elites | Nike Mile Elites

DAY 8 (Sun. 7/1): CROUSER 7th IN WOMEN'S JAV AT 179-8

--Doug Binder story: Crouser comes up with 2nd, 3rd longest throws

DAY 7 (Sat. 6/30): WILLIAMS TIES ACUFF'S HJ SOPH USR: 6.2.25!
Gabby 5th while Acuff makes 5th team; Sorensen 6th in 20K Walk

--Doug Binder story: Williams leaps to US#1 HJ, huge Hayward ovation
--Doug Binder story: Sorensen uses Trials as tuneup for World Juniors

DAY 6 (Fri. 6/29): CROUSER ADVANCES WITH 11th IN WOMEN'S JAV PRELIMS

--Doug Binder story: Haley Crouser sweats out her fate from the grandstand
--TX prep Shawn Barber fourth in Canadian Trials PV

Bernie Montoya, Hannah Meier win Nike Elite prep miles

--Doug Binder story: Nike Elite Miles: Montoya flashes his speed
** B-Nike Elite Mile: 4:08.01 for US#1 Cibola AZ jr Bernie Montoya, the adidas Dream Mile champ, to decisively defeat a 10-man field. Bismarck ND jr Jake Leingang (4:10.60) and Cabell Midland WV jr Jacob Burcham (4:11.22) were second and third.
** G-Nike Elite Mile: 4:55.63 for Grosse Pointe South MI jr Hannah Meier, second in the recent USATF Juniors 1500, to win a close 10-girl race. She was followed by Glacier Peak WA jr Amy-Eloise Neale (4:56.18) and Ravenscroft NC jr Wesley Frazier (4:56.46).

DAY 5 (Thu. 6/28): SOPH WILLIAMS MAKES WOMEN'S HIGH JUMP FINAL AT 6-0

--Doug Binder story: Gabby Williams steps onto big stage and delivers

OFF DAYS (Tue. 6/25-Wed. 6/26)

DAY 4 (Mon. 6/24): KELLER EIGHTH IN MEN'S JAVELIN FINAL, 246-5

--Doug Binder story: Keller eighth in Olympic Trials; World Jrs next
--Doug Binder story: High school XC coach places seventh in Olympic Trials 800 final

DAY 3 (Sun. 6/23): VAUGHAN FOURTH IN WOMEN'S DISCUS FINAL AT 195-9

--Doug Binder story: Vaughan flirts with Olympic berth but needed 203-5

DAY 2 (Sat., 6/22): KELLER RIFLES 253-0 TO ADVANCE, #2 ALL-TIME
Wilson, Bailey come up short of finals

--Doug Binder story: Keller makes the javelin finals; Bailey and Wilson come to end of line

DAY 1 (Friday, 6/21): BAILEY, VAUGHAN, WILSON ADVANCE IN STYLE

--Doug Binder story: Three preps makes waves on first day at Olympic Trials
--Rich Gonzalez story: Weissenbach's unfortunate roadblock
--Nepo's Photos: Friday

PREVIEW: Nine preps face track's ultimate test at the Olympic Trials

* Aldrich Bailey (Timberview HS, Arlington, Texas), 400 Meters; COMPLETED
How he got here: When Bailey ran 45.19 on April 28 at the Texas 5A Region 1 meet in Lubbock, he assured himself a spot alongside America's best quarter milers in the Olympic Trials. Bailey has backed up that fast time by running sub-46 seconds several more times.
What he can do: Bailey has stated that his goal is to run sub-45 seconds for 400 meters and break Darrell Robinson's 1982 national high school and world junior record of 44.69. It would probably take a performance like that to shock the world and make the Olympic team. Bailey is ranked 12th in the field, so a more reasonable goal for him would be to survive the rounds and make it to the finals. And if he has anything left at that point, he can let it rip. Bailey also has one of the best coaches in the business in his corner. Clyde Hart has trained a couple of other Dallas- area natives named Michael Johnson and Jeremy Wariner.
RESULT: He finished seventh (of eight) in the second semifinal Saturday in 45.82 and did not advance. Friday, he ran 45.59 to take third of seven in heat one (of four). He was fifth fastest overall out of 28.

* Amy Weissenbach (Harvard-Westlake HS, North Hollywood, Calif.), 800 Meters; COMPLETED
How she got here: Weissenbach ran a stunning time of 2:02.04 in 2011 at the California state championships and that is the performance that qualified her for the Olympic Trials. More than a year later, it is still her lifetime best by more than a second.
What she can do: Her senior season may not have lived up to the soaring expectations established by her sensational junior year, but Weissenbach is running well of late. She ran a season-best time of 2:04.03 for eighth place at the adidas Grand Prix in New York, gaining valuable race experience in the process  a week after winning her third state title. One of the big questions, as with all of the high school athletes, is maturity. Weissenbach is a strong performer who has been mentored by Olympic greats Quincy Watts, Joanna Hayes and Felix Sanchez  folks who can accelerate the learning curve.
RESULT: In the first round, Weissenbach was fifth out of eight in heat two (of four) with a 2:06.46 and did not advance. She was 25th overall out of 32.

* Mary Cain (Bronxville HS, Bronxville, N.Y.), 800 Meters; COMPLETED
How she got here: Mary Cain tore through the 800 meters in 2:03.34 on May 10 at the Loucks Games and then had to hold her breath these last few days to find out whether that was good enough to earn a spot. Cain's provisional time ranks 30th. But there will be 32 in the field and Cain is one of them.
What she can do: Only a sophomore, Cain made waves when she decided to separate from the Bronxville girls team and train separately. If you are to judge a 10th grader on her ability to establish her goals, assess the best way to accomplish them, and then go out and do it, Cain's been a smashing success. But it also shows the depth of women's middle distance running in the U.S. that her 4:14.74 1,500 last week was no good enough to make the Trials field and her 800 just squeaked her in. Cain has charisma and moxie and just might be able to surprise a few people with her kick.
RESULT: In the first round, Cain was fifth out of eight in heat one (of four) with a 2:04.11, just off her PR and did not advance. She was 18th overall out of 32.

* Ajee Wilson (Neptune, HS, Neptune, N.J.), 800 Meters; COMPLETED
How she got here: The senior from New Jersey seemed like she was stuck on 2:05 in April and May and she knew that wasn't going to cut it. But when she ran 2:02.61 at the adidas Grand Prix in New York City on June 9, she sealed the deal and made the cut.
What she can do: Wilson has much more big-meet experience (meaning vs. pros) than either of her high school counterparts, and that could be a difference-maker for her. The field is so deep between 2:00 and 2:03 that there are bound to be some surprises and Wilson advancing past the first round could be one of them.
RESULT: She finished eighth in the first semifinal Saturday in 2:04.96. In Friday's first round, Wilson was second out of eight in heat two (of four) with a 2:03.63, just a second off her PR, and automatically moved on to the semifinals. She was 15th overall out of 32.

* Gabby Williams (Reed HS, Sparks, Nev.), High Jump; COMPLETED
How she got here: A newbie to the national stage in track and field who never went higher than 5-8 before 2012, the 15-year-old from the Reno area made 6-1.5 at the Nevada Northern 4A Regional meet on May 12. At the time, no one around her, from parents to coaches, quite understood what that meant with regard to the Olympic Trials, or the steps to take part in them. They've all learned in the past month.
What she can do: Williams is a great young athlete (and basketball player) with a gift for elevation. She is still too raw and inexperienced to compete with the best professionals in the country for a spot on the Olympic team, but she can go over six feet again, soak up every moment of her time in Eugene and make a quantum leap as a competitor. She'll be one of the darlings of the Trials and the crowd will love her.
RESULT:She cleared three bars in the finals, including a sophomore class record-tying 6-2.25. The clearance is also a US#1 for 2012. She placed fifth. Williams finished seventh of 23 in the prelims Thursday with a jump of 6-0.

* Haley Crouser (Gresham HS, Gresham, Ore.), Javelin; COMPLETED
How she got here: Coming out of a week-long training session in sunny Southern California over Spring Break, Crouser returned to Oregon ready to throw a national record in the javelin. She went 181-2 on her second attempt April 13 at the Aloha Relays to smash the record by more than four feet.
What she can do: With a probable spot in the Trials sewn up in April, it's somewhat surprising that that Crouser hasn't matched her PR or gone a little farther. However, during the remainder of the high school season, she was juggling several events at once, including the hurdles, the high jump and the shot put. For the past several weeks, she has been able to focus her training specifically on the javelin and that could pay dividends. Making the team is a huge longshot, but Crouser has a brain trust behind her and the support of the crowd in her home state. She also has a brother in the men's javelin and a cousin on the bubble to make the field in the discus.
RESULT: She finished seventh of 12 Sunday with a 179-8, a throw second only to her 181-2 USR. Her series was 165-7, 177-7 (#3 throw ever), 160-3, 173-4, 167-2, and 179-8. Crouser finished 11th of 24 in qualifying Friday with a throw of 165-7.

* Shelbi Vaughan (Legacy HS, Mansfield, Texas), Discus; COMPLETED
How she got here: Vaughan won the bronze medal at the World Youth Championships last summer and came back this spring like she hadn't missed a day of training since she returned from France. She threw 191-6 for a national high school record at the Texas Relays on March 31, easily good enough to make the Olympic Trials field.
What she can do: Vaughan has increased her prep record three times this month already, edging ever closer to the 200-foot mark. She is the future of the event in the U.S. and could make the finals against the likes of 2008 Olympic gold medalist Stephanie Brown Trafton. Track and Field News has her pegged for sixth place, better than any high school athlete in the Trials.
RESULT: She was fourth of 12 in the final Sunday, hitting 195-9, about three feet off her USR. Her series was 189-10, 195-9, 193-6, foul, 188-9, foul. She was less than two feet behind third-place finisher (and one-time prep-USR holder) Suzy Powell-Roos. In Friday's qualifying, Vaughan was fourth of 24 with a throw of 193-9.

* Sean Keller (Heritage HS, Vancouver, Wash.), Javelin; COMPLETED
How he got here: The senior loves the Centennial Invitational in Gresham, Ore. That's where he set the Washington state record in 2011 and where he achieved his lifetime best this spring, throwing 244-1 on April 28 for No. 2 all-time behind Sam Crouser. Since then, Pennsylvanian Billy Stanley unseated him as the national leader with his 246-9. But Keller is still throwing and Stanley is not.
What he can do: Eugene is about 120 miles from Keller's home, so the travel isn't a burden and he's thrown at Hayward Field before. Last year, he wasn't able to sustain top form into June and July. But last week, he pumped out a throw at 237-6 at U.S. Juniors, a sure sign that he's ready to perform well this week. However, competing against the big boys he's a longshot to survive the qualifying round.
RESULT: He was eighth in the 12-man final Monday, throwing 246-5 on his first throw (second best throw of his career). His series was 246-5, 235-1, foul, foul, 238-11, foul). Keller was fourth of 25 in qualifying Saturday with a throw of 253-0, US#1 and #2 all-time.

* Tyler Sorensen (Torrey Pines HS, San Diego), 20-kilometer Walk; COMPLETED
How he got here: Sorensen is one of the greatest competitive walkers in prep history and he became the youngest qualifier ever for the Olympic Trials 20K race walk when he completed the USATF West Regional Championships in 1:35:35 in 2011.
What he can do: According to the latest status of entries posted by USATF, Sorensen has qualified for the event, but not declared. Assuming that he is in the field and does plan to race, Sorensen is probably not quite ready to beat Trevor Barron, John Nunn or Tim Seaman and make the team. In either case, he has more action ahead: He's made his second U.S. World Junior team (and third World team overall, having walked in the World Youth final in 2011).
RESULT: He placed sixth of 12 walkers in 1 hour, 34 minutes, 24.52 seconds.