Canes Strong at U.S. and Canadian Olympic Trials
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami track and field program had a strong showing at the U.S. and Canadian Olympic Trials Thursday.
Two Hurricanes were in action at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Ore., while one Miami alumna competed at the Canadian Track and Field Championships and Selection Trials in Edmonton, Alberta.
Hurricanes alumna T’erea Brown advanced in the women’s 400m hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Trials. The 2011 400m hurdles NCAA champion, Brown finishes second in Heat 3 of the first round of the 400m hurdles with a time of 55.47 seconds to earn an automatic qualifying spot in the semifinals. A 2012 Olympian in the 400m hurdles for the United States, Brown will continue her quest for a spot on the 2016 Olympic Team in the women’s 400m semifinals on Friday at 7:31 p.m. ET.
Ebony Morrison finished seventh in Heat 1 of the first round of the women’s 100m hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Trials, but did not advance to the semifinals. Running out of Lane 2, Morrison was in the same heat as U.S. record holder Keni Harrison. The rising senior was a Second Team All-American in the 100m hurdles and on Miami’s 4x100m relay. A Miami native, Morrison also earned a bronze medal at the ACC Championships in the 100m hurdles and was a member of Miami’s ACC champion and school record setting 4x100m relay. She smashed the school record in the 100m hurdles at the NCAA East Preliminary, running a time of 12.76 seconds.
Miami alumna Kelsey Balkwill advanced in the women’s 400m hurdles preliminaries at the Canadian Track and Field Championships and Selection Trials. The former Hurricane standout finished fourth in Heat 2 of the 400m hurdles preliminaries with a time of 59.08 seconds. Balkwill, who is also entered in the women’s 400m, advanced to the 400m hurdles final scheduled for 3:50 p.m. ET on Friday. A First Team All-American in the 4x400m relay as a senior in 2015, she will compete in the 400m preliminaries at 9:05 p.m. ET on Friday.
In addition to Balkwill, two members of the University of Miami track and field program will compete at the Canadian Olympic Trials this weekend in the hopes of punching their tickets to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Alysha Newman and Aiyanna Stiverne will compete against Canada’s best track and field athletes for the Canadian championship, as well as a place on the Canadian National team. The Canadian Track and Field Championships and Selection Trials will be held at Foote Field in in Edmonton, Alberta from July 7-10.
Newman enters the Canadian national meet as the top pole vaulter in the country, holding the Canadian record of 4.60m. The 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championship runner-up and ACC Outdoor Champion will look to become the Canadian national champion on Sunday, beginning at 3 p.m. ET.
Stiverne’s quest for a spot on the Canadian Olympic Team begins in the 400m preliminaries, scheduled to begin at 9:05 p.m. ET on Friday. The rising junior, was a First Team All-American on Miami’s 4x400m relay, will look to advance to Saturday’s final set to begin at 8:50 p.m. ET.
Three Hurricanes remain in the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials: Brown in the 400m hurdles, Shakima Wimbley in the women’s 200m and Devon Hill in the men’s 110m hurdles. Hill will race in the first round of the men’s 110m hurdles on Friday at 6:02 p.m. ET, while Wimbley will compete in the 200m first round Friday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
The U.S. Olympic Team Trials will be broadcast live on NBC, NBC Sports Network and the NBC Sports app. The 2016 Canadian Track and Field Championships and Selection Trials will be broadcasted live on athleticscanada.tv.
For all the latest information on the Miami Hurricanes, follow the official Twitter feed, @MiamiHurricanes, or “Like Us” on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MiamiHurricanes. Follow @CanesTrack on Twitter for specific news on UM track and field and cross country. The program is also on Instagram, @CanesTrack.
