Road to Rio Starts in Eugene

NORMAN - For Daye Shon Roberson and several of her Sooner track and field teammates, the Road to Rio starts Friday in Eugene, Ore. In addition to the current OU student-athletes, there are a number former student-athletes all seeking the same thing - a ticket to Rio and the 2016 Olympic Games.

Roberson's journey starts at 5:45 p.m. (Pacific time) when she begins competition in the 400-meter dash. She is ranked 16th among the 28 qualified and declared entries. The semifinals are set for 1:30 p.m. Saturday with the final scheduled for 4:38 p.m. Sunday.

She will run in the first of four preliminary heats. A total of 16 runners will advance from the first round. The top three from each heat and the next four fastest will advance to Saturday's semifinals.

Roberson is one of 13 current or former Sooner student-athletes who will be competing between now and the end of the trials on July 10. The senior-to-be has also qualified for the 200 and starts competition in that event Friday, July 8.

Former Sooner graduate assistant Johnny Crain will be on the track as well Friday night. He ranks 25th out of the 27 runners who have declared for the 10,000-meter run. The race, which is a final, is scheduled for 6:15 p.m.

Others with ties to OU's program and competing to get a spot on the US Olympic team include current Sooners: Dylan Blakenbaker, 3000-meter steeplechase; Julia Reedy, hammer throw; Jess Woodard, shot put, and former Sooners Candyce McGrone, 100 and 200; Riley Masters, 5,000-meter run; Abbabiya Simbassa, 5,000; Tia Brooks, shot put; ; Brittany Borman, javelin; Rakieem "Mookie" Salaam, 200; Frezer Legesse, 1,500-meter run; and Ronnie Ash, 110-meter hurdles.

Brooks, shot put, and Borman, javelin, competed in the 2012 London Olympic Games, and come into the Trials ranked second in their events, based on qualifying marks.

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