Sun Devils wrap up Olympic track and field trials

Competition concluded for Sun Devils past and present on Saturday night as the final Arizona State alumni and student-athletes finished competition at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore. 

In her first appearance at a U.S. championship, junior Keia Pinnick finished the heptathlon competition with a strong 13th-place finish overall with 5,752 points.  Over the course of the two day event, Pinnick set a new career-best in the high jump with a clearance of 1.69m (5-06.50) and also posted a heptathlon personal best of 6.02m (19-09.00). 

Pinnick rounded out the competition by winning the 800-meter portion of the event with a time of 2:11.98.

In other action at Hayward Field on Saturday, senior Chris Benard wrapped up his career as a Sun Devil with an 11th-place finish in the men’s triple jump and a leap of 16.00m (52-06.00).  Benard finished his career as a two-time All-American (two first team, one second team) and holds the school record in both the indoor and outdoor triple jump.

Friday’s competition saw several Sun Devils in action as well, beginning with Sarah Stevens-Walker.  The 15-time All-American took fifth overall in the women’s shot put competition with a throw of 17.97m (58-11.50) in an extremely competitive field that saw six competitors over the 58-foot mark. 

For Stevens-Walker, that throw was not quite enough to crack the America throwing squad and she will not advance to London.

Another alumnus just missing out on Friday was Lisa Aguilera in the women’s 3,000m steeplechase.  Aguilera was fifth overall as well in a time of 9:41.85 and was just six seconds shy of the third and final qualifying spot.

In the women’s 400-meter hurdle semifinal, alumnus Latosha Wallance came as close to advancing as she could possibly get without moving on after finishing ninth overall in 55.78 – just one thousandth of a second off the time needed for the eighth and final spot for Sunday’s final. 

Alumnus Charonda Williams also failed to advance in the 200-meter semifinal after clocking the 13th-best time in 22.98.   Williams did, however, make it to the semifinals of both the 100 and 200-meter runs in a field stacked with premiere athletes. 

At the Canadian Olympic trials, junior Christabel Nettey finished second overall with her wind-aided jump of 6.44m (21-01.50).  Nettey, however, does not have the Olympic ‘A’ Standard in the event and will not advance to London despite the finish. 

No Sun Devils are slated to compete on Sunday, which is the final day of the U.S. Trials.  With that in mind, the team will be sending four alumni to London next month.  Desiree Davila was the first to punch her ticket back in January with her qualification in the marathon.  At the U.S. Trials, shot putter Ryan Whiting, 10,000m specialist Amy Hastings and steeplechase Kyle Alcorn all made the roster heading to London.