叠耻蹿蹿蝉听Emma Coburn (Mktg'13) and Jenny Simpson聽(Econ, PolSci鈥�09) have won spots聽on the U.S. team competing聽in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next month.
Both athletes placed first in their events at the U.S. Olympic Team Track & Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon 鈥斅燬impson July 10 in the 1,500-meter run, Coburn July 7 in the steeplechase.
This will be Simpson's third Olympics and Coburn's second.
Simpson, 29, ran the 1,500-meter race in聽4 minutes,聽4.74 seconds, fastest of 12聽rivals in the event, including the current American record-holder.聽
Coburn, 25, placed first among 14 steeplechase runners, crossing the finish line in 9 minutes, 17.48 seconds. It was her second straight trials victory in the 3,000-meter event.
Coburn, of Crested Butte, Colo., was a member of the CU Boulder track & field team from 2009 to 2013. She also ran cross country at CU. Coburn holds the American record in the steeplechase, 9:10.76.
The steeplechase is an obstacle race with hurdles and a water pit.
Coburn鈥檚 favorite part is the water jump, she said in a recent interview with Coloradan magazine.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 where聽a lot of the action happens, good or bad,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 where a lot of races are won or lost.鈥�
Additional details of the victories by Coburn and Simpson聽and performances by other 叠耻蹿蹿蝉听are available here.聽
Photo by聽Gary Breedlove