Hoosiers head west to Olympic Trials

For track athletes Kyle Jenkins and Abbie Stechschulte their seasons have not been without disappointment, but both athletes have another chance at redemption when they compete in the U.S. Olympic Team Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore., which take place June 27-July 6.\nAfter winning the Big Ten Championship in the triple jump, Jenkins fell one place short of earning All-American honors at the NCAA Championships. Stechschulte was ranked third in the heptathlon for most of the season, but a knee injury forced her to withdraw from competition after only three of the seven events at NCAA’s. \nStechschulte is trying to keep a positive attitude, even though her last year of collegiate track has not gone as planned.\n“I’m looking forward to it so much,” said Stechschulte of the meet. “There are a lot of people who would love to have this opportunity.” \nAfter being crowned the collegiate champion in the Texas Relays earlier in the season, Stechschulte hurt her knee in a hurdle drill before the Big Ten meet. She said she is more encouraged and confident since the last week of practice has been a good one.\nAdditionally Stechschulte, who transferred from West Virginia last year where she was an All-American, said being out helped make her realize how much she enjoys the sport. \n“It made me appreciate being able to compete,” she said. \nJenkins has been thinking about competing in this meet since the season first began.\n“It’s been a goal of mine since the beginning of the season,” he said.\nDespite not living up to his expectations at the NCAA meet this year, Jenkins is focused solely on the task at hand.\n“I’m not thinking about NCAA’s,” he said. “I have another opportunity to jump far.”\nIU Associate head coach Jeff Huntoon said he feels Jenkins has handled the disappointment well and is ready for another chance. \n“Kyle handled the disappointment and I think he will continue to do the best he can,” he said.\nJenkins goes into the meet ranked 21st with a qualifying mark of just over 53 feet, but said he thinks he can do much better. After the first day of competition on July 4th Jenkins hopes to make the finals two days later when the field is cut from 24 to 12 athletes.\nJenkins will have his family along to support him. Living in nearby Washington, his cheering section will only have to drive about 7 hours as opposed to multiple days when they come to Indiana. \nIn addition, past IU athletes will also be competing for the chance to make the U.S. Olympic Team, which will be comprised of the top three athletes in each event.\nNine IU alumni are on the entry list for the meet. They include Danielle Carruthers (100-meter hurdles), David Neville (400-meter dash), John Jefferson (1,500-meter run), Stephen Haas (10,000 meter run), Tom Chorny (3,000-meter steeplechase), Lorian Price (long jump), Rose Richmond (long jump), Aarik Wilson (triple jump) and Wil Fleming (hammer throw).\nAlumnus Stephen Haas, who completed his degree in kinesiology in 2005, has stayed in Bloomington to train with his college coach Robert Chapman.\nHaas said that he enjoyed his time at IU and feels it prepared him well for his future in professional running.\n“I really believed in the program at IU,” Haas said. “It wasn’t all about the time spent at practice, but it was a lifestyle.”\nDuring his years at IU the team was very talented and had several runners who aspired to run professionally. \n“The plan was all along to become professional distance runners,” Haas said. \nThe Hoosiers, past and present, will be competing on the track at the famous Hayward Field, where legendary Oregon runner Steve Prefontaine popularized the sport to new heights over 30 years ago.\nHuntoon has been to the track before and is looking forward to going back to such a historic place – one where the crowd appreciates all who compete there. “The allure of the stadium catches everyone,” Huntoon said. “Every participant will be well respected whether they finish 18th or first.”