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Even if you don't watch a lot of track, Bernard Lagat is probably a name you recognize. He's won two Olympic medals (one bronze, one silver), medaled in six world championships and holds five American records. But the 41-year old isn't ready to call it a career just yet.
Lagat, who graduated from WSU in 2000, is trying to head back to the Olympics and that journey starts July 1st in Eugene. In fact, he's one of eight current or former Washington State track athletes and coaches looking to represent their country in Rio this Summer.
Among the Cougs competing for their chance at gold on the men's side are Lagat (5000m and 10000m), current WSU undergraduate and two-time Pac-12 Champion CJ Allen (400m hurdles), former WSU football player Jeshua Anderson (400m hurdles), 2015 graduate Jesse Jorgensen (800m), 2016 graduate Than Pierson (high jump) and current assistant coach and two time Olympian Brad Walker (pole vault). On the women's side competitors include 2008 grad Collier Lawrence (3000m steeplechase) and 2004 graduate Blessing Ufodiama (triple jump).
In addition, assistant coach Angela Whyte will be competing in the Canadian Olympic trials in the 100m hurdles. Those trials start July 8th in Edmonton.
For a full schedule of events at the US trials, check out the article on the official WSU website. The trials run July 1st through 10th and some of the events can be seen on NBC and NBC Sports Network.
But track stars aren't the only ones looking for glory in Rio. Three swimmers with ties to Pullman will also looking to book their tickets to Brazil in their Olympic trials taking place today in Omaha. Senior Elise Locke and sophomore Jasmine Margetts are both competing in the 200m butterfly today, while recent graduate and Colfax native Presley Wetterstrom will compete in the 200m breaststroke on Thursday.
But that's not all... A pair of Canadian rowers have been selected to represent the Great White North in Rio. Rising senior Nicole Hare and 2012 graduate Lisa Roman are two of just 12 people selected to the team.
The Rio games will start on August 5th and certainly nothing will go wrong at all.
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