Mississippi State Prepares to Make Impact on Global Level
STARKVILLE, Miss. - College competition may have ended for the season, but a select group of Mississippi State track and field athletes are traversing the globe in hopes of securing spots on their national teams.
A pair of freshmen are starting things off as they travel to Bloomington, Ind., for the USA Junior Track and Field Championships on June 15-17. Jarrett Samuels will take to the field on Friday as he competes in the long jump, while Erica Bougard will lace up on Saturday for the heptathlon. Not only does this event serve as the USA Championships, but the top two finishers in each event will be invited to become a member of Team USA and compete July 10-15 at the 2012 IAAF World Junior Championships in Barcelona, Spain.
Tavaris Tate is also looking to compete for Team USA, as he makes his way to Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., for the U.S. Olympic Trials. Competing June 21-July 1, the All-American will take his turn in the 400-meter dash with hopes of securing a spot on the London 2012 Olympic Team.
A trio of Bulldogs will compete in the month of June for a chance to make their respective country's Olympic Team. June 27-30, Daundre Barnaby will compete in the 400-meter dash, with a goal of making the Canadian team, while Emanuel Mayers and Nathan Arnett will both compete to make Olympic hurdle teams for Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas respectively.
Jody-Ann Muir and Racquel Farquharson will spend the month of June striving to qualify for the Jamaican Olympic team. Muir will take her turn in the 400-meter dash, while Racquel Farquharson will lace up for the 100-meter hurdles.
Racquel Farquharson is not he only member of her family competing on a global level. Younger sister Rochelle Farquharson is taking part of her summer to compete in the long jump at the Jamaican Junior Track and Field Championships.
To keep up with the Maroon and White global contingency follow @msutrackjason on Twitter.