Day is top ranked in the nation entering Olympic Trials

Posted: Jun 15, 2012 5:03 PM by Bill Halter
Updated: Jun 15, 2012 8:55 PM

Sharon Day preparing for US Olympic Trials

Sharon Day won an NCAA championship in the high jump while at Cal Poly. Four years ago Day competed in the high jump at the Beijing Olympics, she finished 24th. Now 27 years old, Day is hoping to get back to the Olympics, but this time in the Heptathlon.

Day started competing in the seven event Heptathlon as a junior at Cal Poly and has focused on it for the past three years. "My high jumping the last couple of years hasn't been as strong as it was when I was coming out of Cal Poly in 2008. I just think that I have a better shot to do a lot better on a world class scale in the heptathlon then I do in the high jump right now" said Day.

Day is the top ranked heptathlete in the country and won the USA Outdoor Championship in the heptathlon in 2011. "Any chance I get to represent the United States in international competition is amazing and something I've been working for these last four years. To make an Olympic team is the biggest thing you can do as a track and field professional athlete" said Day.

To qualify for the Olympics, Day will need a top three finish at the United States Olympic trials at the end of June in Eugene, Oregon. Day's coach Jack Hoyt expects Day to qualify, "I feel Sharon's chances this time around are much better than they were four years ago. But she still has to get there and compete and I'm not to worried about that, she's a great competitor" said Hoyt.

Day is the 19th ranked heptathlete in the world according to All-Athletics World Rankings so a medal at the Olympics would be a long shot. All Day is worried about right now is getting that shot. "I know what to expect now, it's not quite as much pressure going to my second Olympic trials. I'm a little bit more prepared, have a little bit more knowledge about how everything works, so I can take that experience into this meet" said Day.

Day will compete in the 100 meter hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200 meter on Friday, June 29. The following day she will participate in the long jump, javelin throw and 800 meter.

The Summer Olympics will take place from August 29-September 9 in London, England.