This marks the first time the women’s track and field team has produced two Olympians in the same year.
Ohio State senior shot putter Adelaide Aquilla became the second Buckeye to qualify for the U.S. Olympic track and field team after she finished in third place at the Olympic trails late Thursday night.
The Rocky River, Ohio, native was in second place after her first throw of the finals, which sailed 62 feet and 2 1/4 inches. She fell to third with four throws to go but ultimately held on to secure her spot in the Tokyo Games.
Aquilla – who was recently named Ohio State’s female athlete of the year – will be joined on Team USA by Jessica Ramsey and Raven Saunders, who set the meet record with a toss of 65 feet and 6 inches only to have it broken by Ramsey with her subsequent throw of 66 feet and 1/4 inches.
As mentioned, Aquilla also gives the Buckeyes’ track and field team two representatives at this year’s Olympics, as former sprinter Christina Clemons (née Manning) qualified for her first Games by finishing third in the 100-meter hurdles on Sunday evening.
It was also an extra special evening for Aquilla’s coach, Ashley Kovacs, whose husband, former Penn State athlete Joe Kovacs, already secured his spot next month’s Olympics by finishing second in the men’s shot put with a throw of 73 feet and 3 1/2 inches last Friday.
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