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Gophers to Compete Around the World During June
6/11/2024 12:17:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
Greek National ChampionshipsNigeria National ChampionshipsUSA U20 ChampionshipsU.S. Olympic TrialsTrinidad National ChampionshipsJamaica National ChampionshipsAfrican Championships
Minnesota will have competitors in at least six different countries.
MINNEAPOLIS -- The University of Minnesota track and field program will have representatives around the world competing for a chance to represent their countries at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The first of the competitions starts on June 12, with the U.S. U20 Championships in Eugene, Ore., at Hayward Field. The track and field qualifying window for the Olympics closes on June 30.
Competitors for the Maroon and Gold
Throughout the month, ahead of the June 30 deadline, athletes from around the world will make their final push for Olympic qualifying. Minnesota will have a number of current student-athletes and alumni that will compete across at least six different countries. In the United States, Minnesota will have competitors at both the U.S. Olympic Trials and the U20 Championships, both which will be contested in Eugene. Isabelle Schmidt will throw the shot put at the U20 level while former Big Ten champions, Alec Basten and Matthew Wilkinson will run in the 3000m steeplechase. Additionally Shelby Frank will throw once again in the discus, an event that she finished in fifth in 2023 at the USA Championships. In the Caribbean the Gophers have representatives in the high jump (Alliyah McNeil, Jamaica) and the hammer (Nayoka Clunis, Jamaica) while Devin Augustine and Kion Benjamin will compete in the short sprints in Trinidad & Tobago. Across the Pacific Ocean the Maroon and Gold have a pair of hammer throwers competing at the Greek Championships with Kostas Zaltos and Angelos Mantzouranis. Lastly, Charles Godfred (long jump) and Victory Godah (sprints) will compete in Nigeria at their national championships.
A History of Minnesota at the Olympics
The University of Minnesota is a proud producer of multiple Olympians in the sport of track and field. One of the latest Olympians, Kion Benjamin, finished in 12th with the Trinidad & Tobago 4x100m relay team. Minnesota's highest Olympic finish since the turn of the century has been Barbora Spotakova, who won Olympic gold in the javelin in both 2008 and 2012 for the Czech Republic. Minnesota's track program has had a representative on an Olympic roster in every competition going back to the 1980 games, which the U.S. boycotted. Prior to 1980, Minnesota's Fortune Gordien, an M Club Hall of Famer, won a pair of Olympic medals, a bronze in 1948 and added a silver in 1956.
Minnesota's Top Contenders
This year Minnesota will have a number of strong competitors to make the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. After completing an Olympic redshirt season, Kostas Zaltos is primed for a run to the Olympic roster for his home country of Greece. As of June 4, the three-time NCAA medalist, sits in 26th in the World Athletics rankings with a total of 32 hammer throwers invited to the Olympic competition later this year. Devin Augustine and Kion Benjamin will be in the mix for at least a spot on the Trinidad & Tobago relay team, a position that Benjamin had in 2021 in Tokyo. In Jamaica, Nayoka Clunis (2017-20) ranks 21st in the world in the women's hammer with the top 32 competitors heading to Paris in that event as well. In the United States, Frank, who is ranked 51st in the world in the discus, will compete in the talented pool of American throwers while steeplechasers Alec Basten (45th in the world rankings) and Matthew Wilkinson (36th in the world rankings) will both attempt to make their first Olympics.
Full Schedule/Locations
USA U20
Eugene, Ore., at Hayward Field
June 12-13
Isabelle Schmidt
Nigerian National Championships
Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium
June 16-18
Charles Godfred, Victory Godah
African Senior Athletics Championships
Stade de la Réunification de Bepanda, Douala, Cameroun
June 21-26
Anthonett Nabwe (Liberia)
U.S. Olympic Team Trials
Eugene, Ore., at Hayward Field
June 21-30
Shelby Frank, Alec Basten, Matthew Wilkinson, Brandon Carnes, Bethany Hasz
Jamaican Senior Championships:
National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica
June 27-30
Nayoka Clunis, Michael Buchanan
Trinidad & Tobago Senior Championships:
Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port-of-Spain
June 28-30
Devin Augustine, Kion Benjamin
Greek Championships
Panthessaliko Stadium, Volos
June 29-30
Kostas Zaltos, Angelos Mantzouranis
Competitors for the Maroon and Gold
Throughout the month, ahead of the June 30 deadline, athletes from around the world will make their final push for Olympic qualifying. Minnesota will have a number of current student-athletes and alumni that will compete across at least six different countries. In the United States, Minnesota will have competitors at both the U.S. Olympic Trials and the U20 Championships, both which will be contested in Eugene. Isabelle Schmidt will throw the shot put at the U20 level while former Big Ten champions, Alec Basten and Matthew Wilkinson will run in the 3000m steeplechase. Additionally Shelby Frank will throw once again in the discus, an event that she finished in fifth in 2023 at the USA Championships. In the Caribbean the Gophers have representatives in the high jump (Alliyah McNeil, Jamaica) and the hammer (Nayoka Clunis, Jamaica) while Devin Augustine and Kion Benjamin will compete in the short sprints in Trinidad & Tobago. Across the Pacific Ocean the Maroon and Gold have a pair of hammer throwers competing at the Greek Championships with Kostas Zaltos and Angelos Mantzouranis. Lastly, Charles Godfred (long jump) and Victory Godah (sprints) will compete in Nigeria at their national championships.
A History of Minnesota at the Olympics
The University of Minnesota is a proud producer of multiple Olympians in the sport of track and field. One of the latest Olympians, Kion Benjamin, finished in 12th with the Trinidad & Tobago 4x100m relay team. Minnesota's highest Olympic finish since the turn of the century has been Barbora Spotakova, who won Olympic gold in the javelin in both 2008 and 2012 for the Czech Republic. Minnesota's track program has had a representative on an Olympic roster in every competition going back to the 1980 games, which the U.S. boycotted. Prior to 1980, Minnesota's Fortune Gordien, an M Club Hall of Famer, won a pair of Olympic medals, a bronze in 1948 and added a silver in 1956.
Minnesota's Top Contenders
This year Minnesota will have a number of strong competitors to make the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. After completing an Olympic redshirt season, Kostas Zaltos is primed for a run to the Olympic roster for his home country of Greece. As of June 4, the three-time NCAA medalist, sits in 26th in the World Athletics rankings with a total of 32 hammer throwers invited to the Olympic competition later this year. Devin Augustine and Kion Benjamin will be in the mix for at least a spot on the Trinidad & Tobago relay team, a position that Benjamin had in 2021 in Tokyo. In Jamaica, Nayoka Clunis (2017-20) ranks 21st in the world in the women's hammer with the top 32 competitors heading to Paris in that event as well. In the United States, Frank, who is ranked 51st in the world in the discus, will compete in the talented pool of American throwers while steeplechasers Alec Basten (45th in the world rankings) and Matthew Wilkinson (36th in the world rankings) will both attempt to make their first Olympics.
Full Schedule/Locations
USA U20
Eugene, Ore., at Hayward Field
June 12-13
Isabelle Schmidt
Nigerian National Championships
Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium
June 16-18
Charles Godfred, Victory Godah
African Senior Athletics Championships
Stade de la Réunification de Bepanda, Douala, Cameroun
June 21-26
Anthonett Nabwe (Liberia)
U.S. Olympic Team Trials
Eugene, Ore., at Hayward Field
June 21-30
Shelby Frank, Alec Basten, Matthew Wilkinson, Brandon Carnes, Bethany Hasz
Jamaican Senior Championships:
National Stadium, Kingston, Jamaica
June 27-30
Nayoka Clunis, Michael Buchanan
Trinidad & Tobago Senior Championships:
Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port-of-Spain
June 28-30
Devin Augustine, Kion Benjamin
Greek Championships
Panthessaliko Stadium, Volos
June 29-30
Kostas Zaltos, Angelos Mantzouranis
CHS Home Grown Gophers: Emmett Gerres
Friday, September 05
The Greek Freak of Minnesota
Friday, July 18
Gophers Finish 1-2 in Hammer Throw
Monday, June 16
Mantzouranis Earns NCAA Silver Medal
Thursday, June 12