UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Nine current and former Nittany Lion track & field stars are set to continue their roads to Paris at the 2024 USATF Olympic Trials in Oregon's Hayward Field from June 21-30.
Hammer throw school record holder Samaria McDonald, as well as 800-meter runner Darius Smallwood, will represent the 2023-24 Nittany Lions in Eugene, with competition set to begin Friday. The duo joins Penn State track & field legends Joe Kovacs, Isaiah Harris, Tyler Merkley, Morgan Shigo, Rachel Fatherly, Brannon Kidder, and Rachel Gearing in competition at the USATF Olympic Trials.
In addition to coaching McDonald and Merkley, throws assistant coach Nathan Ott will be in Eugene guiding 2024 World No. 1 women's hammer thrower Brooke Andersen.
In a majority of cases, athletes who finish in the top three of their respective events at the 2024 USATF Olympic Trials, that also have achieved the Olympic standard in their event during the qualifying period, will advance to the Paris Olympic Games this summer. Special circumstances arise where this is not the only way to qualify, however, achieving the standard and placing in the top three at the trials is a U.S. athlete's best shot to be named to the Olympic team. Track & field events at the Paris games are slated to take place August 1-11 and will include nearly 50 medal events.
Kovacs, one of the greatest shot putters in world history, vies for his third-straight Olympic berth, having won silver medals in the shot put at both the 2016 and 2020 Olympics. Watch him, and the rest of the group of current and former Nittany Lions, compete in Eugene over the next ten days using the links below.
FOLLOW ALONG
Live Results | TV/Streaming Info | Meet Central | USATF Homepage
THE ATHLETES – 2023-24 NITTANY LIONS
Samaria McDonald – Women's Hammer Throw
- No. 18 hammer throw entrant in the Olympic Trials field (67.05m)
- Penn State hammer throw record holder (67.05m).
Darius Smallwood – Men's 800m
- No. 21 800-meter entrant in the Olympic Trials field (1:46.17).
- No. 6 800-meter runner in Penn State history (1:46.17).
PENN STATE ALUMNI
Joe Kovacs – Men's Shot Put
- No. 2 shot put entrant in the Olympic Trials field (23.13m).
- 2024 World No. 1 shot put mark (23.13m, World No. 7 all-time).
- Penn State outdoor shot put record holder.
Isaiah Harris – Men's 800m
- No. 5 800-meter entrant in the Olympic Trials field (1:44.58).
- 2024 World No. 26 800-meter mark (1:44.58).
- Penn State indoor/outdoor 800m record holder.
Tyler Merkley – Men's Hammer Throw
- No. 13 hammer throw entrant in the Olympic Trials field (72.94m).
- Penn State hammer throw record holder.
Morgan Shigo – Men's Hammer Throw
- No. 17 hammer throw entrant in the Olympic Trials field (72.44m).
Rachel Fatherly – Women's Shot Put
- No. 21 shot put entrant in the Olympic Trials field (17.51m).
Brannon Kidder – Men's 800m, 1500m
- No. 24 1500-meter entrant in the Olympic Trials field (3:36.57).
- No. 28 800-meter entrant in the Olympic Trials field (1:46.52).
Rachel Gearing – Women's 800m
- No. 27 800-meter entrant in the Olympic Trials field (2:01.24).
FOLLOW THE NITTANY LIONS
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