K-State Track’s Ryann Krais Finishes 7th at Olympic Trials

Posts best score of season

K-STATE SPORTS INFORMATION

June 30, 2012

EUGENE, Ore. – After finishing 14th at the NCAA Championship earlier this month in the heptathlon, Kansas State senior Ryann Krais rebounded and put together her best performance of the season to take seventh place at the USA Track and Field Olympic Trials. Krais bested seven collegiate athletes who finished better than her at the NCAA meet as she posted her best score of the year by more than 120 points with a total of 5,817 points.
Krais stood in 10th place entering the final three events on Saturday afternoon at Hayward Field. She put together three solid events to score big points and steadily move up the standings. Krais opened the day with a long jump of 5.61 meters (18-05.00), coming up just eight centimeters short of her best mark of the season from the Big 12 Championship.

The 2011 USA Championship runner-up then followed the long jump with one of her best throws in the javelin. Krais posted a mark of 40.50 meters (132-10) that was less than two feet short of her personal best set at the Big 12 Championship.

Krais’ strong marks continued in the final event as she crossed the line in 2:12.03 in the 800 meters. It was her best time of the season by more than 1.5 seconds as she shot up the standings into seventh place following the event. Only one athlete ran faster than Krais in the 800 meters.

“I’m proud of how Ryann competed this weekend,” said K-State Head Coach Cliff Rovelto. “She is getting close to full health and back to being her normal self, which is great to see from her.”

Two post-collegiate athletes who train with Rovelto also were fighting for a spot on the USA Olympic Team. One of those two came up just short of her dream finishing fourth.

Bettie Wade found herself in fourth place with 6,018 points after two days of hard work. Wade was 170 points behind former Nebraska Cornhusker Chantae McMillan and only 132 points off the Olympic A Standard score. Heading into the final event, Wade needed to reach the qualifying standard of 6,150 and finish ahead of McMillan. To reach that score Wade needed to run at least 2:09.80 in the 800 meters. McMillan did post the Olympic A Standard, finishing third in 6,188 points. Wade ran 2:19.06 and finished fourth overall.

“Bettie did a good job today, particularly in the long jump in the rain,” Rovelto said. “Bettie tried hard, but she just left a few points behind yesterday.”

Hill took 18th place with 5,537 points. She entered the day in 18th place and hovered around the position on the leaderboard through the final day of the heptathlon. Hill posted a mark of 5.75 meters (18-10.50) in the long jump to open the day and then threw the javelin 35.47 meters (116-04). Hill closed the day with a run of 2:18.94 in the 800 meters.

Saturday marked the conclusion of any athletes with K-State connections at the USA Olympic Trials. Thus far a total of five current and former Wildcats have qualified to represent their homeland at the 2012 London Olympic Games. There is still a possibility for some to make their Olympic Teams, which would set a new record for K-State. The five Olympians currently ties for the most in school history from the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

K-State Results
Heptathlon
7: Ryann Krais, 5817 pts
Long Jump: 5.61m/18-05.00 (732 pts)
Javelin: 40.50m/132-10 (677 pts)
800m: 2:12.03 (935 pts)
Day 1
100H: 100H: 13.84 (1001 pts)
High Jump: 1.75m/5-08.75 (916 pts)
Shot Put: 12.00m/39-04.50 (661 pts)
200m: 24.91 (895 pts)

Professional Athletes Trained by Rovelto
4: Bettie Wade, 6018 pts
Long Jump: 6.21m/20-04.50 (915 pts)
Javelin: 35.79m/117-05
800m: 2:19.06 (836 pts)
Day 1
100H: 13.72 (1018 pts)
High Jump: 1.81m/5-11.25 (991 pts)
Shot Put: 13.62m/44-08.50 (769 pts)
200m: 24.84 (902 pts)

18: Kasey Hill, 5537 pts
Long Jump: 5.75m/18-10.50 (774 pts)
Javelin: 35.47m/116-04 (581 pts)
800m: 2:18.94 (838 pts)
Day 1
100H: 14.30 (936 pts)
High Jump: 1.60m/5-03.00 (736 pts)
Shot Put: 12.39m/40-07.75 (687 pts)
200m: 23.96 (985 pts)