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Three Former Oilers Have Sights Set on Rio, Brazil
Posted: Jun 30, 2016

Three Former Oilers Have Sights Set on Rio, Brazil

Findlay, OH – A trio of former University of Findlay track and field athletes will be competing for a trip to Rio for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games when they participate in the US Track and Field Olympic Trials. The event will run from July 1-10 and will be held in Eugene, Oregon, on the campus of the University of Oregon.

In each event, the top three finishers will be named to the U.S. Olympic team if they have achieved an Olympic-qualifying time either at the Trials or within the qualifying window, which is from January 1, 2015 to July 11, 2016 for the 10,000 meters and May 1, 2015 through July 11, 2016 for all other events. If an athlete places in the top three at the U.S. Trials but has not run the Olympic qualifying standard either in that race or during the qualifying window, the next-fastest athlete at the Trials who has met the standard would be named to the U.S. Olympic team.

Derrick Vicars ('12), who is currently the throws coach for the Oilers, will be participating in the shot put, an event in which he won two national titles as a member of the Orange and Black. Vicars is currently ranked #22 in the country in the event, entering with a season-best throw of 19.65m (64'5.5"). The Olympic qualifying standard in the event is a distance of 20.50m (67'3.5"). He will compete Friday, July 1 at 11:00 am PT (2:00 pm EST) and, if he makes the final, 5:40 pm PT (8:40 pm EST). The field contains 24 athletes. This is the second time Vicars has competed at the Olympic Trials as he took part in the event in 2012.

A four-time national champion for the Oilers, Justin Welch ('15) will participate in the hammer throw at the Trials. Welch enters the competition ranked #18 in the country and has a season-best throw of 69.69m (228'7"). The Olympic qualifying standard in the event is a distance of 72.00m (236'2.5"). Welch will compete on Wednesday, July 5 at 5:00 pm PT (8:00 pm EST). The finals will be held that night at 7:00 pm PT (10:00 pm EST). Welch, who is also making his second appearance at the Trials, will be part of a field of 24 athletes.

Raven Clay ('12) will be making her first appearance at the Trials and will compete for a spot in the 100m hurdles. Clay, who was named an all-American in every one of her indoor and outdoor seasons at UF, has a personal best of 12.93 in the event, which is #26 in the United States and #38 in the world. The Olympic qualifying standard in the 100m hurdles is 13.00. Her competition will take place on Thursday, July 7 at 5:00 pm PT (8:00 pm EST) with the semi-finals and finals taking place the following day at 3:58 pm PT (6:58 EST) and 5:54 pm PT (8:54 pm EST), respectively.

These athletes are no strangers to the national and international levels of competition as they have each participated abroad for Team USA:

  • (2013) Vicars took part in the shot put and discus at the World University Games in Kazan, Russia.
  • (2010) Welch participated in the World Junior Championships in Moncton, Canada.
  • (2009) Welch and Clay, as members of the USA Junior Team, took part in the Pan American Games in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. They each won bronze medals.

The University of Findlay track and field team has a history of getting athletes to the Olympic Trials. Below is a list of all the Oilers who have participated at the event:

  • Andrea Morgan – 2004 (800m)
  • Kendall Stevens – 2008 (100m)
  • Stephanie Charnigo – 2012 (800m & 1500m)
  • Jessica Rowland – 2012 (hammer)
  • Derrick Vicars – 2012 (shot put); 2016 (shot put)
  • Justin Welch – 2012 (hammer); 2016 (hammer)
  • Raven Clay – 2016 (100m hurdles)

Coverage of the Olympic Team Trials can be found on NBC and online at USA Track and Field TV.  The event website can be found HERE.