June 29, 2012
EUGENE, Ore. -- It was a busy day at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials for Stanford, but Jillian Camarena-Williams was the star of the day, earning a spot on the Olympic Team.
The 2004 graduate won the U.S. title in the shot put, tossing 62-10 ½ to earn a spot on her second-straight Olympic Team. Camarena-Williams came into the competition as the favorite, but after a poor throw and a foul unleashed a huge toss that blew away the competition. She will now set her sights on London where she is a definite medal contender.
The other final of the day was in the women's 3,000 steeplechase where Sara Hall just missed making the Olympic Team. Hall was in position until the final lap when she could not quite hold the blistering pace. Hall faded to eighth with a time of 9:47.63 and won't join her husband Ryan Hall who is on the U.S. marathon team.
The other women competing with Stanford ties were on the field as Karynn Dunn and Brittni Dixon-Smith clashed in the prelims of the long jump. Dunn had her best jump on her second attempt, leaping 20-10. The mark placed Dunn 13th and just out of the final. Still, it was a great season for Dunn who was an All-American in the long jump both indoors and outdoors for Stanford during her junior year. Brittni Dixon-Smith also competed in the event and placed 19th. She leaped 20-1 ½ and will also not advance.
In the javelin, Brianna Bain finished her sensational freshman season, placing 13th in the javelin. Bain tossed 162-4, but like Dunn missed the final by one spot. The Oregon native was back near home after winning a Pac-12 title and finishing as the NCAA runner-up during her freshman season.
On the men's side, Garrett Heath and Russell Brown each competed in the semifinals of the 1,500 meters, but neither advanced. Brown struggled and appeared to have a slight limp in finishing at the back of the pack in the first heat. Heath placed ninth in the second heat with a time of 3:42.95, but did not quite have enough to move on.
There are still two more days of the U.S. Olympic Trials, but no more Stanford athletes will compete. Camarena-Williams was the lone Stanford athlete to advance to London form the U.S., joining Arantxa King (Bermuda), Amaechi Morton (Nigeria) and Katerina Stefanidi (Greece) to compete in track and field.