Seven former Tech athletes competed in the Olympic qualifiers last week in Eugene, Ore. on the campus of the University of Oregon.
The former athletes include James Lemons II and Shantia Moss, who just finished their careers on the flats. The other former Jackets are Chaunte Howard (2002-04), Angelo Taylor (1997-98), Ashlee Kidd (2003-07), Brandy Depland (2002-06), David Krummenacker (1997-98) and current Jacket Alphonso Jordan.
Chaunte Howard held the nation’s top mark pre-qualifying in the women’s high jump at six feet, six inches. At Tech, Howard was a three time national champion in the high jump at Tech and attended the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
During the event, Howard qualified for the finals with a jump of 1.82 meters. In the finals, Howard finished at the top with a jump of six feet, five and a half inches.
Taylor won the NCAA championship in 400 meters in 1997 and 1998. Taylor is already a two-time Olympian in 1996 and 2000 and looks to represent the US for the third straight contest.
Taylor will compete in the 400 meters and 400 meter hurdles. Pre-qualifying, Taylor ranked third in the nation in the 400 meters with a time of 44.05 and seventh in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 48.45.
In the 400-meter hurdles, Taylor qualified for the semifinals with a quarterfinals time of 49.34. He then qualified for the finals with a time of 48.59 in the first division, his time was better than the top finisher in the other semi-final.
Taylor went on to place third in the finals with a time of 48.42. In the 400 meter dash, Taylor did not finish in the quarterfinals and was eliminated from the event.
Kidd competed in qualifying for the 200 meter and 400 meter dashes. Currently, Kidd’s time in the 400 meters is 51.46, No. 13 in the nation.
Kidd was a three time All-American for the Jackets during her sophomore to senior year. Kidd did not qualify for the 200 meters as she finished fifth in the division in the qualifying rounds.
Kidd qualified in the 400 meters with a time of 53.22 seconds. Kidd finished seventh in her division in the semifinals with a time of 52.37.
Depland was also a three time All-American, but in the triple jump. She ranked No. 14 in the nation pre-qualifying with a mark of 44 feet, 5.25 inches. Depland qualified for the finals with a mark of 13.48 meters on her final attempt. In the finals, Depland finished 10 with a mark of 13.12 on her first trial and fouled her second and third trials.
Krummenacker won the 800 meter NCAA championship twice as a student-athlete and owns the 21 best time in the nation at 1 minute, 46.75 seconds. Krummenacker finished the quarterfinals with a time of 1 minute, 48.39 seconds. In the semifinals, Krummenacker finished last in his division with a time of 1 minute, 48.69 seconds.
Moss will compete in the 100 meter hurdles. Moss finished her career with a third place finish in the 100 meter hurdles. She owns the 16 best time in the nation at 12.96 seconds in the event. She finished fourth in the 100 meter hurdles qualifying with a mark of 13.33 seconds.
In the quarter finals, Moss advanced with a time of 13.18 seconds and in the semi finals, she was eliminated with a time of 13.04 seconds.
Lemons will compete in the triple jump after earning All-America honors with a No. 16 best mark of 54 feet, 1.25 inches. Jordan will also compete in the qualifying as a student; he currently holds the twenty-fifth best mark in the nation with at 52 feet, 9.5 inches in the triple jump pre-qualifying.
Jordan finished the event with the 13th best distance at 52 feet, 3.75 inches, but did not qualify for the finals. Lemons did qualify for the finals with a distance of 52 feet, 4.75 inches. In the finals, Lemons finished eighth with a mark of 53 feet, 4.50 inches.
The Jackets also sent five current swimmers to qualifying. Senior Noah Copeland, juniors Johnny Hagaman and Agatha Kwasnick, sophomore Travis Wagner and freshman Heidi Hatteberg went to Omaha, Nebraska for the Olympic Swimming Trials.
Copeland competed in the 100 and 200 meters freestyle with a time of 51.16 seconds in the 100 and 1 minute, 54.77 seconds in the 200. He also posted a time of 55.63 in the 100 meter butterfly.
Hagaman timed in at 57.64 seconds in the 100 meter backstroke. Kwasnik finished the 100 meter free style with a time of 57.79 seconds.
Wagner competed with Copeland in the 100 meter butterfly and finished with a time of 55.10.
Finally, Hatteberg finished with a time of 1 minute, 5.76 seconds in the 100 meter backstroke.