The Medal Stand returns after the end to a busy prep spring sports season with an update on 2010 Madison graduate Chari Hawkins, who competed at one of the world’s most prestigious multi-event track meets over the weekend.
There are also plenty of local events filling the schedule as the weather warms up and school dismisses for the summer.
The Medal Stand: Hawkins places 18th at Götzis
Rexburg’s Chari Hawkins traveled to Austria over Memorial Day weekend to compete at a meet that drew heptathletes from 22 countries.
The 2010 Madison graduate and five-time All-American at Utah State placed 18th in heptathlon at the 45th Hypomeeting in Götzis, Austria, on Sunday, with 5,972 points. She placed ninth in the 100-meter hurdles, 24th in high jump, 26th in shot put, 19th in the 200, 13th in long jump, 13th in javelin and 22nd in the 800. She was the fourth-place American in the competition. Katarina Johnson-Thompson of Great Britain won heptathlon with 6,813 points while the top American placers were Kendell Williams (fifth with 6,412 points) and Erica Bougard (sixth with 6,374 points).
Coming up locally
The Scout Mountain Ultra Trail run begins Friday and continues into Saturday in Pocatello. Courses this year are 21 miles, 50 miles and 100 miles long.
Two road races take place Saturday. The Footsteps for Fertility 5k takes place at 2 p.m. at Freeman Park in Idaho Falls. The annual Teton Dam Marathon, half marathon, relay, 10k and 5k is Saturday morning in Rexburg. Start times are 6:30 a.m. for the marathon and relay, 7:30 a.m. for the half marathon, 8 a.m. for the 10k, 8:30 a.m. for the 5k. The marathon and relay start at the historic Teton Dam site while all other races start on the block of First North Street and Smith Park.
Team USA Update
The U.S. men’s rugby sevens team qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo while at the London Sevens, placing third there. The U.S. is the only nation this season to reach all nine semifinals.
The U.S. women’s national soccer team defeated Mexico 3-0 on Sunday in Harrison, New Jersey, its final match before departing for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Goals were scored by Tobin Heath, Mallory Pugh (Carli Llloyd assist) and Christen Press. The FIFA Women’s World Cup begins June 7 in France. The defending World Cup champion U.S. begins group play June 11 versus Thailand.
Three-time U.S. Olympic medalist archer Brady Ellison won the men’s recurve final Sunday at the Archery World Cup stop in Antalya, Turkey, giving him medals in three consecutive world cup individual events this season. Ellison also contributed to the U.S. men’s recurve team’s third place finish in Antalya. The U.S. next competes at the World Archery Championships beginning June 9 in the Netherlands.
The FINA Champions Swim Series comes to Indianapolis this weekend, drawing swimmers from 15 nations. Competition begins Friday and continues through Saturday. This is the third and final stop of the Champions Swim Series, introduced by FINA this year. Professional swimmers compete by invite only, there are only four swimmers per event and no prelims. Among the 23 U.S. swimmers competing this weekend are Michael Andrew, Lilly King, Matt Grevers, Ryan Murphy and Townley Haas.
Marlowe Hereford 