USATF Foundation Grant recipients do well at Olympic Trials

Indianapolis – The following athletes have received an Elite Athlete Grant from the USATF Foundation at a pivotal time in their competitive careers. Grants were awarded based on each individual athletes: event, performance, the Elite Committee's perceived performance potential and the athlete's financial need. The Foundation Board recognized these athletes as "emerging elite" athletes who had little or no financial sponsorship or support.

The following athletes are now members of the USA Olympic Team and headed to Beijing (including three event winners!):

David Oliver - '07 grant - - 1st in Men's 110 Hurdles
Aretha Thurmond - '06 & '07 grants - - 1st in Women's discus
Shani Marks - '07 & '08 grants - - 1st in Women's Triple Jump
Mike Hazle - '07 & '08 grants - - 2nd in Men's Javelin
April Steiner - '07 & '08 grants - - 2nd in Women's Pole Vault
Diana Pickler - '07 & '08 grants - - 3rd in Women's Heptathlon
Stephanie Brown Trafton - '07 & '08 grants - - 3rd in Women's discus
Loree Smith - '06 & '07 grants - - 4th in Women's Hammer (but third with A standard)
Leigh Smith - '06 & '07 grants - - 5th in Men's Javelin (but 2nd with A standard)

The Foundation also had three grantees that came "heart breakingly" close to making the Olympic team:

Travis Nutter - '06, '07 & '08 grants - - 4th in Men's Hammer
James Neito - '08 grant - - 3rd in High Jump, but did not achieve A standard
Morgan Uceny - '08 grant - - 4th in Women's 1500m AND 6th in Women's 800m

Seven other grantees finished in the top ten in their events at the Trials.

Additionally, seven runners who train at group training centers that USATF Foundation supported through the USATF Distance Project made the Olympic team and four distance runners who we funded for the European trip in '07 made the final in their event.

The USATF Foundation is having an impact on the sport!

For more information or to contribute to the USA Track & Field Foundation, visit www.usatffoundation.org.