NOTRE DAME, Ind. – The University of Notre Dame’s track and field program has eight athletes competing at the US Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon in hopes of qualifying for the upcoming Tokyo Olympics.
The five women Irish representatives are current athletes Olivia Markezich (steeplechase), Jadin O’Brien (heptathlon), Rachel Tanczos (hammer) and alums Kaila Barber (400m hurdles) and Dani Aragon (1,500m).
On the men’s side current athletes Samuel Voelz (800m) and Yared Nuguse (1,500m) are joined by alumnae Nate Richartz (pole vault) at the trials.
Voelz will compete in Monday evening’s final in the 800m at 8:28 p.m. ET after posting a PR time of 1:46.39 in the semifinals to qualify for the final with a sixth place finish. Voelz is one of three current NCAA athletes in the final.
Aragon, a 2017 graduate, will look to punch her ticket to Tokyo in the 1,500m final also on Monday. Aragon qualified for the final by placing 10th in Saturday’s semifinal with a time of 4:09.94. The final will start at 8:05 p.m. ET.
Another Olympic hopeful, Nuguse, will begin his trials on at 9:04 p.m. ET with the opening round of the 1,500m. The semifinal for the race is set for 7:05 p.m. ET on Friday with the final to be ran at 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Tanczos will compete in the hammer throw qualifying round at 4:25 p.m. ET on Thursday with hopes of qualifying for the final on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Barber, someone who is no stranger to the Olympic Trials, is set to run in the 400m hurdles at 6:35 p.m. ET on Friday for a spot in Saturday’s semifinals at 9:19 p.m. ET.
O’Brien will have a grueling two days of heptathlon competition on Saturday and Sunday throughout the day. The first of the seven events will be the 100m hurdles at 4:15 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Richartz and Markezich have each completed their respective events at the trials. Richartz cleared 5.50m in the pole vault and placed 18th in the qualifying round while Markezich turned in a time of 10:00.45 in the first round of the steeplechase to finish 26th.
The Irish already have one alum heading to Tokyo, as Molly Seidel will represent the US in the marathon. Seidel qualified for the Olympics on Feb. 20, 2020, placing second in the race with a time of 2:27.31 despite it being the first marathon she ever competed in.
For a full TV schedule of the US Track & Field Olympic Trials, click here.