A pair of former Barton track stars added their names to the list of former Cougars headed to Rio de Janeiro and the 2016 Olympic Games.
One of them is one of the most decorated female sprinters in the last 20 years. The other will is making her first Olympics at age 31.
Track legend Veronica Campbell-Brown took second in the finals of 200m at the Jamaican Olympic Trials, losing to another former Cougar in Simone Facey.
Facey overtook Campbell-Brown in the final 50m to win gold and qualify for her first Olympics. Facey won in a time of 22.68. VCB came in second in 22.80 into the -3.1 headwind.
While Facey is appearing in the Olympics for the first time, it will be the fifth straight for Campbell-Brown and the fourth straight in the 200m. She won Olympic gold in the 2004 and 2008 200m.
Facey has been close to earning a spot previously but came up short each time. This time she left no doubt, doing what few have been able to do in passing VCB in the final 50m.
Facey and Campbell-Brown join former Cougars Leevan Sands of the Bahamas and Alonso Edward of Panama as qualifiers for Rio.
Sands won his countries triple jump title and already held the qualifying mark needed to earn a spot in his fourth Olympic Games.
Edward also has posted a mark to qualify in the 200m with this time of 20.06 – the seventh fastest in the world this year. Edward has not yet reached the mark in the 100m but he is close. Edward has ran a 10.18 but needs a 10.16 to qualify. Edward ran in the 200m at the 2012 Olympics but has disqualified from his heat in the first round. He finished second in the 2009 World Championships to Usain Bolt.
Another sprinting legend, Tyson Gay, continued his Olympic frustration over the weekend. The American record holder and owner of the second fastest 100m ever with a 9.69 in 2009, has never medaled in the event at the Olympics. He does hold a silver medal form the 2012 games as part of the 4x100m relay team.
But Gay came in fifth at the Trials, just .02 from third in a tight finish for the last spot. He ran a 10.03.
Gay, now 34 years old, can still qualify in the 200m later this week. The 200m will start Thursday with first round races followed by the semifinals Friday and the finals on Saturday. There is a good chance Gay will go to Rio regardless as part of the 4x100m relay pool.
Another former Cougar looking for his first Olympics will be hurdler Aleec Harris. Harris has ran the fastest time qualifying time for the US with a 13.11 in 110m hurdles last July. His best this year is 13.43. Harris will need something much closer to the 13.11 to earn a spot on the US team. The opening round of the 110m hurdles will be Friday with semifinals and finals set for Saturday.