Makayla Paige and Ethan Strand, two Tar Heels, advanced to the semifinals of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials on Day 1, sustaining their Olympic hopes and securing a spot on the American National Team for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. Paige trailed for the majority of her 800m heat before passing four competitors in the last stretch to secure the semifinal qualifying spot with a time of 2:02.12. Strand was fully engaged in the action in a highly competitive 1500m heat, finishing seventh and earning the final automatic qualifying spot with a time of 3:38.02.
Paige will race in the women’s 800m semifinals on Sunday, June 23rd at 9:11 p.m. ET, while Strand advances to compete in the men’s 1500m semifinals this evening, Saturday, June 22nd, at 9:56 p.m. ET.
On Friday, Jill Shippee (2018–2022), Alex Phillip (2023–2024), and Daniel McArthur (2017–2022), three former Tar Heels, also participated in the Olympic Trials. In their respective events, all three of them hold the school record.
The former DIII standout who became a graduate transfer and key player in the Tar Heels Cross Country and Indoor Track and Field ACC Championships, Shippee, placed 14th in the 10,000m final, and McArthur, in the shot put, and Shippee, in the hammer throw, were unable to proceed to the semifinals.
Parker Wolfe, the 5,000-meter national champion, will begin his Olympic career on Thursday, June 27 at 11:03 p.m. ET.
The Olympic Trials are underway at Eugene, Oregon’s Hayward Field and run through June 30. NBC, Peacock, and USA Network will all broadcast live coverage of the meet; live results may be seen here.
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