DAY 8 AT THE US OLYMPIC TRACK & FIELD TRIALS: MAGGIE EWEN MAKES THE FINALS IN WOMEN’S SHOT PUT; CLOSE UPS WITH PAST AND PRESENT OLYMPIANS

June 29, 2024 The highlight for Minnesota athlete fans was Maggie Ewen advancing to the finals of the women’s shot when she launched her second of three throws 60 feet-9 ¼ inches (18.52 meters) for 5th place.  All four athletes who finished ahead of Maggie had throws surpassing 63 feet (19 meters).  The 2013 St.

DAY 7 AT EUGENE: CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY ST. PAUL ATHLETES ADVANCE; DISCUS THROWER SHELBY FRANK 5TH AT US OLYMPIC TRIALS

June 28, 2024 It is surprising not only how many Division II and Division III athletes have qualified for the US Olympic Track & Field Trials but there are 10 HIGH SCHOOL athletes participating—and often advancing.  For example, Quincy Wilson, a Texas high school sophomore placed 6th in the 400-meter dash finals—and has hit the

DAY 4: GOPHER SHELBY FRANK QUALIFIES FOR ANOTHER FINAL; FALL IN 800 METER WOMEN’S FINAL CAUSES SCRAMBLE AND HEARTACHE

June 25, 2024 University of Minnesota thrower Shelby Frank is the only woman athlete doubling in hammer throw and discus at the 2024 US Olympic Track & Field Trials.  She is proving her throwing skill by qualifying for the finals in each event.  In the discus, Shelby advanced to the finals on another sunny day

HEADING TO EUGENE, OREGON

June 18, 2024 Please follow the US Olympic Track & Field Trials’ postings on Facebook and http://www.mnathletes.com, a website dedicated to featuring Minnesota athletes in a variety of sports and wide range of eras. A brother and I will be at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, for the majority of the event. While in

2024 Qualifiers for the US Olympic Men’s Marathon Trials with Minnesota Connections

January 3, 2024 To run in the 2024 US Olympic Marathon Trials men’s division in Orlando, Florida on February 3rd, a time of 2:18:00 (or 1:03 in the half-marathon) or faster must have been recorded in the past two years (one year for the half-marathon) in a certified race.  A total of 227 men have

THE KLECKER SISTERS: WE ALL HAD A GREAT MINNESOTA RUNNING EXPERIENCE

February 16, 2021 Born in the 1990s to parents Barney Klecker and Janis Klecker (Horns), the three Klecker sisters acknowledge their running roots. “It was a huge benefit to be surrounded by people who were always running,” says Elizabeth “Bit” Klecker, the youngest of the three sisters. Mary, Sarah, and Bit Klecker have three brothers

MINNESOTA MOMENTS

Minnesota athletes had some memorable moments on Friday, June 18, 2021 . . . Joe Fabe Klecker, son of Barney Klecker and Janis Klecker, two fabled state distance runners, placed 3rd in the 10,000-meter run to earn a spot on the US Olympic team–and he already has achieved the Olympic qualifying standard at the distance.

MINNESOTA ATHLETES AT THE OLYMPIC TRIALS

Minnesota athletes continue to compete at the Olympic Trials in swimming and as the track and field competition begins today in Eugene, Oregon. In swimming, Regan Smith (Lakeville) has qualified for 2 events, the 100-meter backstroke and 200-meter butterfly, with her best event, the 200-meter backstroke still to be decided. The low-key, levelheaded swimming star

DRAKE BLUE OVAL SHOWCASE: MINNESOTA ATHLETE RESULTS

Three Minnesota athletes competed in the road mile race, two finishing 9th. Running with the leaders the entire race, Joe Fabe Klecker (Hopkins) ran to a 3rd place finish in the men’s division, clocking a time of 3:59. The recent University of Colorado graduate becomes another Minnesota athlete running a sub-4-minute mile. Placing 9th in

END OF CROSS COUNTRY, THE START OF WRESTLING FOR MINNESOTA ATHLETES

The U of M Gopher victory over Northwestern created an interesting piece of research discovered about Evan Hull, the Maple Grove High School graduate playing running back for the Wildcats. Hull participated in 3 state championship meets last year as a high school senior: on the football team, as an individual in wrestling at 182