BAKERSFIELD, Calif. ? Four former Roadrunner athletes recently wrapped up competition at the U.S. Track & Field Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Ore., while Bakersfield native, and CSUB assistant swim coach, Gabe Woodward left his mark in the water at the U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials in Omaha, Neb.
Woodward, a bronze medal winner in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, placed 12th in the preliminaries of the 100 meter freestyle at the U.S. Swimming Trials, then turned in a personal best 48.85, eighth place time in the semi-final round, to advance to the finals. Woodward was two-for-two in personal best marks at the Trials, clocking a PR time of 22.32 in the 50 meter freestyle.
Across the country in Eugene, Ore., five-time NCAA Division II National Champion Cecilia Barnes and three-time national champion Chris Figures both advanced to the finals of their respective throwing events at the Track & Field Trials. Barnes, seeded fifth in the women's discus, threw 176-08 (53.86m) in the preliminaries and 186-08 (56.91m) in the finals to place fifth overall. Figures, competing in his second Olympic Trials, advanced through the prelims of the men's shot put with a mark of 65-06.75 (19.97m), but failed to throw a scoring mark in the finals.
“The Trials is a very difficult meet even to get into with thousands of competitors across the country,” said CSUB track & field Head Coach Alan Collatz. “It was a big deal to have Chris and Cecilia make the finals. Because of the stress and pressure of the meet, a lot of athletes don't earn their best marks there and this year a lot of favorites didn't move on.”
Also competing in the men's shot put was Tony Thompson, who's top mark in the preliminary round was 58-11.25 (17.96m). In the men's hammer throw, Arnaldo Cueto came up short of a finals berth, his top prelim mark landing at 212-07 (64.80m). Cueto, along with Figures, was competing in the Trials for a second time, having also thrown in 2004.
“All four throwers are still young and if they decide to continue to compete they can use this as a great learning experience,” Collatz said.
