Jackson Free Press

The U.S. Olympic Trials for Track and Field start this Friday in Eugene, Ore. at Hayward Field. In each event the top three finishers will make the U.S. squad for Rio. Athletes either professional or collegiate who meet qualifying standards for the U.S. trials will take part in the event.

There are six collegiate athletes from Mississippi universities who will be competing at the trails. Two athletes from Mississippi State University and four athletes from the University of Mississippi will compete.

Those who finish in the top three must meet the Olympic qualifying standards to be placed on the Olympic team. The qualifying standards for the U.S. and Olympics are slightly different.

Two Rebels are in the trials for the men’s 800-meters. Both Craig Engels and Holland Sherrer will take part in the 800-meter and will have to reach the time of 1:46.00 to earn a spot on the Olympic team. Neither has run that fast, with Engels’ best time 1:46.13 and Sherrer’s best time is 1:47.13. Both will have to run for new personal bests just to have a shot at making the final or the Olympic team.

The last Rebel on the track will be Michael Ebb in the men’s 3000-meter steeplechase. An Olympic qualifying time in the steeplechase is 8:30.00. Ebb’s best time has been 8:34.13, which he ran at the NCAA Track and Field finals. He will have to break a new personal best to make the team or qualify for the finals in Oregon.

One Rebel who could end up heading to Rio is Raven Saunders in the shot put. She won the women’s NCAA title in this event and broke records with her throw of more than 19 meters. Saunders already has thrown better than the Olympic qualifying mark of 17.60 meters. She has the fifth-best throw in the world outdoors this year with a mark of 19.33 meters.

Both Bulldogs will have a good shot at making the Olympic team.

In the men’s javelin, Curtis Thompson won the men’s NCAA title with a throw of 77.69 meters. A throw of 83.00 meters is the Olympic standard. Thompson’s best throw came earlier this year at 81.03 meters.

He will need a new personal best to make the Olympics, but his best throw ranks 44th in the world this year. Only one American, Cyrus Hostetler, has a better throw at 83.83 meters.

Erica Bougard finished second in the heptathlon at the NCAA finals. She will need 6,200 points to meet the Olympic standard. Her best performance came in earlier this year when she put up 6,170 points, which places her at 18th in the world this year. Two Americans, Kendell Williams and Barbara Nwaba, have put up better numbers with 6,225 and 6,360 points, respectively. Bougard could make the team if she can raise her best point total just slightly.

The track and field trials are July 1-10 and can be seen on NBC, NBC Sports and streamed …

Four years ago in London, gymnast Gabby Douglas became a household name when she became the first African American woman to win the gold medal in the individual all-around competition. She won a gold medal in the team competition when the United States won the women’s artistic all-around.

Flash forward to 2016, and Douglas isn’t the top women’s gymnast for the U.S. At the recently held 2016 U.S. Championships, Douglas finished in fourth place overall.

No, Douglas isn’t the top woman to watch in U.S. gymnastics anymore. Simone Biles has taken over that role.

If there is one Olympian you should take time out of your schedule to watch, it is Biles. She is the winner of the 2016 U.S. Championship with a personal best score of 125.000 points. It was the fourth-straight win in the U.S. Championships.

Second place belonged to Aly Raisman, who scored 121.100 points. Raisman won two gold medals and three overall in London.

Without question, Biles was the star of the show as she won the vault, floor and balance beam, in addition to the overall title. She is the first woman in 42 years to win four straight U.S. Championships since Joan Moore Grant accomplished the feat from 1971 to 1974.

Biles isn’t just the best American women's gymnast; she is the best gymnast in the world. She has won the last three World Championship All-Around titles.

The 19-year-old has a tear-jerker story NBC will promote until everyone knows it by heart. Her grandparents adopted her after her mother gave her up.

Finishing third was Lauren Hernandez with a score of 120.500, and Douglas was a distant fourth with a score of 117.800 for the two-time gold medal winner. Madison Kocian finished in fifth with a 116.450 score.

Biles is a lock to head to Rio, but the other four spots on the U.S. team are up grabs. If the same score from the U.S. Championship holds up, the team will be Raisman, Hernandez, Douglas and Kocian.

The U.S. Trials will be held from July 8 to July 10 in San Jose, Calif. to name the official team. Besides just the top five finishers, also in San Jose will be Amelia Hundley, Alyssa Baumann and Ragan Smith earned automatic berths to the trails.

USA Gymnastics added Christina Desiderio, Brenna Dowell, Rachel Gowey, Ashton Locklear, Maggie Nichols, Emily Schild and MyKayla Skinner to compete at the trails. The U.S. looks to defend its all-around medal from London.