Three Alaska athletes – a reigning world champion, an Olympic bronze medalist and one of the world's top shot putters -- have qualified for the USA Track and Field Olympic Trials in July in Eugene, Oregon.
Boise State freshman Allie Ostrander of Soldotna, who dominated high school running for Kenai Central, last month ran a blistering 5,000 meters indoors at the UW Invitational in Seattle to meet the Trials' qualifying standard in that event. Ostrander, 19, last year won the world junior mountain running championship and finished second at the NCAA Division I cross-country running championship.
Former Bartlett High shot putter Jordan Clarke qualified in his specialty by virtue of strong performances last summer. And Janay DeLoach, the former Eielson High standout and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist in the long jump, has qualified not only in her specialty but also in the 100-meter hurdles.
Ostrander clocked 15 minutes, 21.85 seconds at the UW Invitational, a time more than three seconds faster than the qualifying standard of 15:25.
Clarke's shot put of 70 feet, 6.25 inches last summer not only qualified the 25-year-old for the Trials but also ranked him No. 7 in the world for 2015. The Trials' automatic qualifying standard is 67-3.25.
DeLoach, 30, long-jumped 22-9.75 last summer to easily and automatically qualify for the Trials, which require a leap of 21-4. That mark tied her for No. 6 in the world in 2015. DeLoach also clocked 12.84 in the 100 hurdles last summer, well below the qualifying standard of 13.00.
All three athletes own Alaska high school track and field records -- Ostrander in the 1,600 meters and 3,200 meters, Clarke in the shot put and discus and DeLoach in long jump.
The Trials are set for July 1-10 at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus.
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockeyblog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr