Category Archives: Rio 2016 Olympic Trials

Canoeing, Olympic Trials, Rio 2016 Olympic Trials

Two Olympic Spots up for Grabs at Second Round of US Slalom Canoe Olympic Trials

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With Casey Eichfeld and Michal Smolen locking up Olympic berths in the first round of the Slalom Olympic Trials last month the only spots remaining to be decided on the team are the women’s K1 spot and whether Eichfeld and his teammate Devin McEwan or Smolen and teammate Zachary Lokken will compete in the C2. In the K1 Ashley Nee has the edge over Dana Mann coming into this round while in the C2 it’s Eicheld and McEwan that are in the lead.

Previous Slalom Canoe Olympic Trials Coverage:
Round One Recap

Olympic Trials, Rio 2016 Olympic Trials, Weightlifting

Two Olympic Spots to be Decided at USA Weightlifting National Championships

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The USA Weightlifting National Championships are this weekend in Salt Lake City, Utah and two Olympic spots will be up for grabs on the women’s side. On the men’s side they will be vying for spots at the Pan American Championships where Olympic qualifying can be achieved.

The US women successfully qualified three spots for the Olympics by placing 14th in a combination of scores from the last two world championships. One of those spots has been awarded to Jenny Arthur based on her finishes in the last two world championships (14th in 2014 and eighth in 2015). The other two spots will be determined this weekend based on a fairly simple formula.

The formula is to compare the top lift of their potential athletes to the average third place score in that weight category at the world championships and Olympics over the last four years. The top two ratios (Competitors lift/average third place lift) will decide the Olympic qualifiers. The results from the 2015 World Championships, 2015 America Open Championships, and the 2016 National Junior Championships count in this format so unless they are topped this weekend they will decide the qualifiers. Currently the top two from the US are Sarah Robles, with a 96.207% ratio from the world championships, and Mattie Rogers with a 92.824% ratio from the national junior championships. Robles competed for the US in the 2012 Olympics and finished seventh.

On the men’s side the formula to determine team spots is slightly different. The score being compared to is the average for each of the top 25 places over the last couple years. Athletes are ranked based on how high they would have theoretically finished with the tiebreaker being whoever was closest to moving up a spot. 2012 Olympian Kendrick Farris is one of the top two for the US in this ranking currently and is expected to compete for an Olympic spot at the Pan American Championships.

The competitors for the Olympic/Pan American spots will not go until Sunday afternoon. Until then competition begins on Friday and runs through Sunday with each weight class competing separately. Most of these classes will see their national champion awarded to someone competing in the Sunday afternoon competition but in some cases there is no one competing on Sunday in that weight class. Friday kicks off with the men’s 56kg, 62kg, and 69kg divisions, along with the women’s 48kg, 53kg, and 58kg divisions. The men’s 56kg and 62kg do not have anyone competing on Sunday so the national champions will be decided Friday.

Canoeing, Olympic Trials, Rio 2016 Olympic Trials

US Selects Sprint Canoe Competitors to Compete for Olympic Spots

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The US held sprint canoe trials this weekend in Georgia to select competitors who would attempt to qualify for the Olympics at the Pan American Qualifier in May. Full results do not seem to have been made available but we do know who won those events thanks to the TeamUSA site’s two articles (Day 1, Day 2).

Here is a list of the athletes who advanced…

For the men:
1000m C1 – Ian Ross
1000m C2 – Ian Ross and Gavin Ross
200m C1 – Ben Hefner
1000m K1 – Chris Miller
1000m K2 – Chris Miller and Stanton Collins
200m K1 – Tim Hornsby (2012 Olympian in this event)
200m K2 – Chris Miller and Stanton Collins

For the women:
500m K1 – Maggie Hogan
500m K2 – Farran Smith and Samantha Barlow 
200m K1 – Emily Wright

The Pan American Championship qualification opportunity will be May 19th-20th at the same place this event was held in Georgia.

Previous Sprint Canoe Coverage:
US Olympic Trials Preview

 

Canoeing, Olympic Trials, Rio 2016 Olympic Trials

US Sprint Canoe Trials This Weekend, No Olympic Spots Guaranteed for Winners

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With the US failing to qualify for any of the Olympic spots at the last world championship anyone who wins this weekend at the US Sprint Canoe Trials will only be getting the chance to compete for a spot at the Pan American Qualifier in May.

The US will hold contests in 14 different events but only ten will be for potential Olympic spots. On the men’s canoe side there are competitions in 1000m C1, 1000m C2, and 200m C1. In men’s kayak it will be the 1000m K1, 1000m K2, 200m K1, and 200m K2. Finally in women’s kayak the contests are the 500m K1, 500m K2, and the 200m K1.

It’s not an Olympic event but still contested will be the women’s canoe 500m C1, 500m C2, 200m C1, and 200m C2.

Returning to compete for Olympic spots after representing the US in 2012 will be Tim Hornsby in the men’s 200m K1.

The competition in the 1000m and the 500m events will be on Friday with the 200m events on Saturday.

Olympic Trials, Rio 2016 Olympic Trials, Rowing

Genevra Stone Reaches Second Straight Olympics

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Four boats qualified for the Olympics on Sunday at the US Olympic Rowing Trials but only one is someone going back to the Olympics. In the women’s single sculls 2012 Olympian Genevra Stone held off a Stesha Cole by over seven seconds. Stone was the fastest of anyone in the Olympic finals in 2012 but was in the B Final after finishing fourth in the semifinals.

Also advancing to the Olympics without a close finish were Ellen Tomek/Meghan O’Leary in the women’s double sculls by over 12 seconds, Kate Bertko/Devery Karz in the women’s lightweight double sculls by over 11 seconds, and Andrew Campbell/Joshua Konieczny in the men’s lightweight double sculls by over four seconds.

The Paralympic qualifying on Sunday advanced two athletes to Rio: Blake Hexton by over 44 seconds in the men’s arms and shoulders single sculls and Jacqui Kapinowski by over 15 seconds in the women’s arms and shoulders single sculls.

In the men’s single sculls no Olympic spot has yet been secured but with the last chance for qualification upcoming the US selected the athlete who will compete for that spot and reach the Olympics if they qualify. It came down to a tight race between 2012 Olympian Ken Jurkowski and Thomas Graves. Graves had been last at the 500m and 1000m marks while Jurkowski led, though it was always very close. Graves had moved up to second, 3.6 seconds behind Jurkowski, with 500m left and closed hard but Jurkowski held on to win by 1.31 seconds. The same qualifying situation applies to the men’s double sculls but the final was not nearly as close. Willy Cowles/Stephen Whelpley cruised to a victory by over 17 seconds.

The last chance to qualify will be in the Final Olympic Qualifying Regatta that will take place from May 22nd to the 25th in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Previous Olympic Rowing Trials Coverage:
Preview
Day 1 Update
Day 2 Update
Day 3 Update
Day 4 Update
Day 5 Update

Olympic Trials, Rio 2016 Olympic Trials, Rowing

Ken Jurkowski and Genevra Stone Both Reach Olympic Rowing Trials Finals

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With Sunday’s finals looming Saturday was the final day the field would be cut as semifinals were held in a variety of event at the US Olympic Rowing Trials. The first event was the men’s single sculls and in the first heat 2012 Olympian Ken Jurkowski won and had the top time of the day for the first time in the trials. Justin Keen had the top time in the second heat and was just 0.24 seconds behind Jurkowski. Greg Ansolabehere who had the top time in the time trials and previous round, also reached the final though he was over three seconds behind the top times. The final in this event looks to be an exciting and dramatic one.

Over in the women’s single sculls 2012 Olympian Genevra Stone won her heat to advance to the final without any real challenge but Stesha Cole was the fastest of the day by 3.2 seconds. Stone will probably be a bit faster in the final when finishing first is all that matters.

In the men’s double sculls repechage two more teams made the final. There was a decently close finish as Thaddeus Babiec/Theo Pritz advanced to the final by just 2.4 seconds. It was even closer in the women’s double sculls as Jamie Chapman/Elizabeth Vogt only advanced to the final by 1.88 seconds. Another close finish was in the women’s lightweight double sculls as Rosa Kemp/Monica Whitehouse had only 2.92 seconds to spare. The men’s lightweight double sculls wasn’t quite so competitive as neither heat was decided by less than 4.5 seconds.

Sunday will have eight finals. Two of those are for Paralympic spots, four are for Olympic spots, and two are for spots in a final qualifying event for the Olympics.

Previous Olympic Rowing Trials Coverage:
Preview
Day 1 Update
Day 2 Update
Day 3 Update
Day 4 Update

Olympic Trials, Rio 2016 Olympic Trials, Rowing

Ken Jurkowski and Genevra Stone Advance to Semifinals at Olympic Rowing Trials

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Friday was a busy day at the US Olympic Rowing Trials as fields were trimmed and some qualified for the Sunday finals in a variety of events. In the men’s single sculls the field of 14 was cut to eight for Saturday’s final. 2012 Olympian Ken Jurkowski won his heat with the third fastest overall time of the day and advanced into the semifinals. Three of the heats were won by over seven seconds while Justin Keen held off Hugh McAdam by just 1.81 seconds in the other heat.

Greg Ansolabehere had the fastest time, just like in the time trials. This time it was by 0.07 seconds ahead of Keen. Three of the four repechage heats were decided by at least four seconds while in the final heat Erik Frid beat Nathan Lado by just 1.72 seconds to advance to the semifinals. Saturday’s semifinals will pit Ansolabehere and Jurkowski together in a semifinal but both can advance to the final by finishing in the top two.

2012 Olympian Genevra Stone advanced to the women’s single sculls semifinals with the top overall time. Stesha Cole was second fastest, 1.05 seconds back. The 11 woman field was cut to eight for Saturday’s semifinals. The closest battle for a semifinal spot was between Mary Foster and Emily Schmieg in a repechage. Foster was ahead after 500, 1000, and 1500 but Schmieg closed stronger and topped her by 0.92 seconds to stay alive in the competition.

In the men’s double sculls two front runners emerged for the final. William Cowles/Stephen Whepley and Lenny Futterman/Jonathan Kirkegaard both dominated their heats winning by at least 13 seconds. While the other four teams will all have a chance to get into the final in the repechage tomorrow it sure looks like they face an uphill climb to compete with the front runners for the Olympic spot.

Ellen Tomek/Meghan O’Leary posted the top time in the women’s double sculls while in the women’s lightweight double sculls it was Kate Bertko/Devery Karz posting the top time. Finally in the men’s lightweight double sculls Austin Meyer/Nick Trojan had the top time of the day. In all of these events no one was eliminated today.

Saturday is the semifinals as 16 more boats will advance to Sunday’s final.

Previous Olympic Rowing Trials Coverage:
Preview
Day 1 Update
Day 2 Update
Day 3 Update

Olympic Trials, Rio 2016 Olympic Trials, Rowing

Men’s Single Sculls Field Trimmed to 14 at Olympic Rowing Trials

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The men’s single sculls field was cut from 21 to 14 on Thursday during a time trial the most noteworthy competitor was probably 2012 Olympian Ken Jurkowski. Jurkowski advanced easily with the fourth fastest time while Greg Ansolabehere won the time trial. The battle for the final spot was pretty intense with Lucas Wilhelm advancing over Matthew Brown by 0.27 seconds.

Friday’s going to eliminate competitors in a variety of events. The men’s single sculls will feature heats and repechages with eight advancing to Saturday’s semifinals. The same will happen in the women’s single sculls though the starting field is 11 instead of 14. The men’s and women’s double sculls and lightweight double sculls will qualify two of the six boats directly to the final while the others go to a repechage Saturday. Competing in the women’s single sculls will be 2012 Olympian Genevra Stone while

Previous Olympic Rowing Trials Coverage:
Preview
Day 1 Update
Day 2 Update

Archery, Olympic Trials, Rio 2016 Olympic Trials

Second Event Complete in US Olympic Archery Trials

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Two events are completed the the fields are narrowed to eight as USA Archery is closer and closer to naming their team for the 2016 Olympics. One month from now in Newberry, Florida those eight archers on each side will gather one last time to complete the Olympic trials.

For the men it’s been all about Brady Ellison this week and after taking the top score of the day and knowing he only needs a top three spot to go to the Olympics he has a large margin of 30 points over fourth place Collin Klimitchek. Klimitchek showed that if you get hot you can make some real moves in the standings. He was ninth going into the final seven matches before the cut to eight but managed to get into eighth and after having a great Thursday he jumped all the way to fourth. He’s still 6.5 points behind third but that is certainly a deficit that can be overcome. Zachary Garrett is in second with 74.5 points and  Jake Kaminski is third with 62.5 points.

On the women’s side Mackenzie Brown had her lead cut a bit because Hye Youn Park put up the top score of the day and leaped from fourth to second and trails Brown by 7.5 points. Lanola Pritchard holds the third spot with five points between her and Park and Ariel Gibilaro is now fourth points behind her in fourth. Khatuna Lorig was better today and moved up to fifth, still trailing third by 9.75 points.

So far there has been a maximum of 100 points available. At the third nomination shoot alone there are 91 points available. The athletes currently low in the standings might need some help but you can certainly put yourself back into the running with a strong competition. The third nomination shoot begins May 27th.

Previous Olympic Archery Trials Coverage:
Preview
Day 1 Update
Day 2 Update
Day 3 Update

Archery, Olympic Trials, Rio 2016 Olympic Trials

Separation Developing at US Olympic Archery Trials in Chula Vista, California

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With just one day of shooting in the second portion of the Olympic Archery Trials remaining and the cut down to eight having occurred there is some real separation developing for the Olympic spots. On the men’s side Brady Ellison keeps improving as he now leads Zachary Garrett by 5.5 points. Both are currently solidly in the Olympic spots. Sean McLaughlin continued to fall down the standings as his low scoring day (he went just 2-5 in matches and had a poor average score) dropped him from third to sixth. Into third after a strong day is Jake Kaminski who is seven points behind Garrett but leads fourth place Jacob Wukie by 4.75 points.

On the women’s side Mackenzie Brown now has a 9.5 point lead as she has the best day in the field and Ariel Gibilaro passed Lanola Pritchard for second place. Ultimately second/third won’t matter, both spots will either go to the Olympics or not but fourth place has no chance to reach the Olympics and that is where Hye Youn Park sits only two points behind Pritchard. Khatuna Lorig had another rough day and now is seventh and 8.75 points behind third place.

Thursday will feature a team simulation event that will provide a qualifying round score (top score is worth eight points), seven more head-to-head matches worth two points each, and the average scores from those matches will be used to award more points.

Previous Olympic Archery Trials Coverage:
Preview
Day 1 Update
Day 2 Update