GoUSFBulls.com O’Neal Competes for Spot on Olympic Team Thursday

[Brad]

USF ATHLETICS GoUSFBulls.com

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Web Link: http://www.gousfbulls.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7700&ATCLID=211043500

 

MEET: USA Olympic Trials
DATE: July 7 | 7:45 p.m. ET (Qualifying)
LOCATION: Eugene, Ore. | Hayward Field
TV: USATF.TV | NBCSN
FOLLOW: Schedule | Entries

O’Neal Competes for Spot on Olympic Team Thursday

The former USF student-athlete heads back to historic Hayward Field

 

TAMPA, JULY 5, 2016 – Recent USF graduate Matthew O’Neal will begin his pursuit of becoming an Olympian in the triple jump on Thursday at 7:45 p.m. ET at the USA Olympic Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Thursday is the qualifying round, which will be shown on USATF.TV and features the nation’s top 24 triple jumpers. The top 12 out of that group will advance to the finals at 7:15 p.m. ET on Saturday. The top nine will get three additional jumps that same day which will be broadcast on NBC and streamed live on NBCSports.com. The top three finishers, who also meet the Olympic qualifying standard of 16.85 meters, will represent the United States at the Olympic Games in Rio De Janeiro.

O’Neal will be returning to the historic venue where he earned his sixth NCAA All-American honor with a third place showing at the NCAA Outdoor Championships on June 10. The Jackson, Miss., native qualified for the trials by meeting the standard of 16.66 meters on Jan. 22 with an indoor school-record jump of 54 feet, 8 inches (16.66m) at the Joe Donahue Games in Boston.

 

O’Neal’s top jump of the outdoor season came at the NCAA East Preliminary on May 28, a wind-assisted (+3.0) distance of 55-9.75 (17.01m). His best non-assisted mark was at the American Outdoor Championships on May 15, a winning jump of 54-11.50 (16.75m). The 54-11.50 distance ranks ninth among Thursday’s competitors.

 

USF’s last Olympian in track and field was Damu Cherry who placed fourth in the 100m hurdles at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

[Apis Bull]

Good luck

[Oldsmobull]

The triple jump is an event where luck can help a whole lot...Matthew has the talent and skills to do well....doing a run/jump where he hits everything just right and he can do a big one.  Good luck Matthew!

[NewEnglandBull]

Going to be tough but good luck kid! 

[Mama_Bull]

Keeping my fingers crossed. LOL

[Ionbull]

Keeping my hooves crossed!