EUGENE, OR (KTIV) -- -
Former University of Northern Iowa NCAA champion Tyler Mulder came up two spots short of qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Team in the 800m on Monday evening, placing fifth with a time of 1:45.02 in the Olympic Trials being held at Hayward Field.
Mulder's time marked his best performance this season, but he finished 0.37 seconds behind Duane Solomon, Jr., for third place. Nick Symmonds and Khadevis Robinson took the top two places. Symmonds, Robinson and Solomon have all achieved the Olympic ‘A' Standard and will represent the U.S. in London.
Former Panther Shayla Houlihan placed 22nd in the women's 3,000m steeplechase, crossing the line in 10:08.58 and failing to advance to the finals.
South Dakota track and field assistant coach Derek Miles qualified for the finals in the pole vault at the U.S. Olympic Trials Monday in Eugene, Ore. Miles, a resident of Tea, S.D., is seeking a third trip to the Olympics.
Miles, 39, cleared 17-4 1/2 during Monday's preliminary round to advance to the finals, which are set for Thursday, June 28 at 7:05 p.m. Central time in Eugene. Having already clinched a spot in the finals as a result of clearing that height, Miles elected to pass on the next height.
The top three in Thursday's finals will advance to the Summer Olympic Games in London, England, assuming they have met the Olympic qualifying standard. Miles met the standard of 5.72 (18-9 ¼) in Germany in July 2011, meaning a finish in the top three will qualify him for the Olympics.
Miles, a 2006 Coyote Sports Hall of Fame inductee and 1996 USD graduate, resident qualified for the Olympics in 2004, finishing seventh, and took fourth at the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008.
Tyler Mulder came up two spots short of qualifying for the Olympic Team in the 800 meters on Monday.
