Lopes Advances on First Day of Trials

Three athletes with ties to the Nebraska track and field program began their quests for the Olympic dream on Friday, as both the U.S. and Canadian Olympic Trials got under way in Sacramento, Calif., and Victoria, British Columbia, respectively.

Current Husker Ashley Selig sits in 23rd place after the first day of competition in the heptathlon with a point total of 3,067. Selig finished tied for 19th in the 100-meter hurdles (888 points), tied for 11th in the high jump (842), 24th in the shot put (513) and 18th in the 200-meter run (824). The final three events are scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Selig, who will be a junior next season, finished third in the hepathlon at the 2004 NCAA Outdoor Championships last month. The Lincoln native also recorded a fifth-place finish in the heptathlon at the 2004 Big 12 Championships and a second-place finish at the 2003 Big 12 Championships.

Eric Eshbach, who completed his final season as a Husker last month, did not qualify for the pole vault finals. A four-time Big 12 champion, the Orangefield, Texas, native was unable to clear the opening height of 17-8 1/2 feet. Eshbach, the Nebraska indoor and outdoor pole vault school record holder, was a five-time All-American during his career at NU and took home the 2003 NCAA outdoor national title.

North of the border, Husker hurdler Priscilla Lopes competed in round one of the 100-meter hurdles at the Canadian Olympic Trials, advancing to the finals by finishing second in her heat and third overall in a time of 12.87 seconds. In her first season as a Husker, Lopes claimed the NCAA championship in the 60-meter hurdles at the 2004 NCAA Indoor Championships. The Whitby, Ontario, native also recorded a silver-medal performance in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2004 NCAA Outdoor Championships, finishing in 12.64 seconds just .02 seconds out of first. Lopes looks to make the Canadian Olympic team on Saturday, when the 100-meter hurdle final gets under way at 2:10 p.m. (CDT).

Saturday marks day two of the U.S. and Canadian Olympic Trials. In addition to Selig and Lopes, teammate Becky Breisch begins her quest for the Olympics in the qualifying round of the discus at 7:10 p.m (CDT). Breisch, the 2004 NCAA discus champion, is also attempting to make the U.S. Olympic squad in the shot put, an event she finished third in at the 2004 NCAA Outdoor Championships. NBC will televise Saturday’s action from 7-8 p.m (CDT).

For complete results from day one of the Olympic Trials, click on the above links.