After the third day of competition in the 2004 U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials in Sacramento, Calif., former Sun Devil and 2000 Olympian Dwight Phillips earned a trip to Athens, Greece, after winning the men's long jump with a leap of 8.28 meters.
Phillips became the eighth member to come out of the Sun Devil track program to qualify for multiple Olympiads.
Phillips also competed in the 100-meter dash and made it to the semifinals but did not advance to the finals after finishing eighth in his heat and 15th overall with a time of 10.28 seconds.
But as Phillips qualified to represent his country in the long jump, another former Sun Devil and 2000 gold medal winner Nick Hysong failed to qualify after placing fifth in the pole vault. Hysong failed to clear a 5.85-meter vault on three tries. Such a vault would have placed him third and solidified his journey to Greece.
Freshman and 2004 NCAA heptathlon national champion Jacquelyn Johnson, from Yuma, Ariz., is also competing, as is senior All-American Jason Barton. The heptathlon is comprises the 100-meter hurdles, long jump, high jump, 200-meter dash, shot put, javelin and the 800-meter dash. Barton is hoping to become the seventh Sun Devil to compete in the 400-meter dash.
On Saturday, Johnson finished 12th place in the event. She managed a 13th place finish in the long jump by leaping 5.78 meters and also finished 12th in the javelin with a throw of 39.75 meters. In the final event of the day, Johnson finished 19th in the 800-meter run.
Aside from Phillips and Hysong, former Sun Devils at the trials include sprinters Marcus Brunson and Cassandra Reed and long-jumper Tiffany Greer.
Current Sun Devil Jason Barton, who will be a senior next season, is also in the running to make it to Athens in the 400-meter dash. On Sunday, Barton ran well enough for the fifth fastest time in the event at 45.39 seconds and advanced in the trials.
The trials were held at the Alex G. Spanos Athletic Complex on the campus of Sacramento State University.
Reach the reporters at Christian.palmer@asu.edu and Christopher.Drexel@asu.edu.
