DES MOINES, Iowa – Three members of the Texas A&M men's national championship team and five members of the Aggie women's NCAA runner-up squad will compete in the USATF Championships held this weekend at Drake Stadium. The meet serves as qualification for the IAAF World Championships, which will be held in Moscow, Russia, during mid-August.
In all there will be 19 athletes with ties to the Texas A&M program competing in either the USATF Championships or the USATF Junior Championships. Action begins Wednesday and continues through Sunday.
Current Aggies in the meet include Devin Bogert (javelin), Kamaria Brown (200m), Olivia Ekponé (200m), Donique' Flemings (100 hurdles), Sam Humphreys (javelin), Jennifer Madu (Junior – 100m, long jump), LaQue Moen-Davis (long jump, triple jump), and Ameer Webb (200m).
Previous members of the A&M program and athletes currently training in College Station who will be competing in Des Moines include Jessica Beard (400m), Ariana Ince (javelin), Porscha Lucas (200m), Aries Merritt (110 hurdles), Curtis Mitchell (200m), Tyron Stewart (long jump), Jeneba Tarmoh (100m, 200m), and Lauryn Williams (100m).
In addition, three incoming Aggie freshmen are competing in the U.S. Junior Championships. They include Lauren Bedrich of Rogers, Texas, as well as a pair of athletes from Illinois – Aaliyah Brown (100m, 200m) and Shamier Little (400, 100 hurdles).
Humphreys and Merritt return as defending champions from the Olympic Trials last summer. Humphreys won the javelin title and was the top ranked U.S. thrower last season while Merritt claimed the Olympic Games gold in the 110 hurdles and later broke the world record with a 12.80 in his final race of the season.
This year Humphreys is undefeated and recently won the NCAA Championship javelin title. He has been the U.S. leader since his opening throw of 267-1 (81.40) in March and improved it to 268-8 (81.90) during the NCAA West meet in late May.
Thursday's schedule will have eight athletes in action with Madu contesting two U.S. Junior events that day. She will have the prelims and finals of the 100 meters as well as the triple jump. Brown joins Madu in the 100 that day while Bedrich and Little compete in the 100 hurdles.
In the USATF Championship field Moen-Davis will contest the triple jump on Thursday while Ince throws the javelin. The first round of the 100 includes Tarmoh and Williams while Beard runs in the first round of the 400.
Coverage of the USATF Championships will be available on the web and through NBC and ESPN. The times and channels follow:
USATF.TV Webcasting Schedule
2013 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships and Junior Track & Field Championships
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All times Central:
June 19Â Â Â Â Â Noon to 6:20 p.m.
June 20Â Â Â Â Â 10 am to 9:25 p.m.
June 21Â Â Â Â Â 10 a.m. to 9:35 p.m. (Only field events from 7-9 p.m.)
June 22Â Â Â Â Â 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Only field events from 3-6 p.m.)
June 23Â Â Â Â Â 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Only field events from 2-5 p.m.)
Broadcasting Schedule
All times Central. Check Local Listings.
June 21Â Â Â Â Â LIVE 7-9 p.m. on ESPN2
June 22Â Â Â Â Â LIVE 3-4 p.m. on Universal Sports
                   LIVE 4-6 p.m. on NBC Sports Network
June 23Â Â Â Â Â 1-2 p.m. on Universal Sports
                   LIVE 2-3 p.m. on NBC Sports Network
                   LIVE 3-5 p.m. on NBC
USATF Championships
Men                                        Events   Competition Date
Devin Bogert                            Javelin   Final 2 p.m. (6/23)
Sam Humphreys                      Javelin   Final 2 p.m. (6/23)
Ameer Webb                                200   R1 2:40 p.m. (6/22), Semi 2:05 p.m. & Final 4:10 p.m. (6/23)
Aries Merritt                  110 Hurdles   R1 3:10 p.m. (6/22), Semi 2:40 p.m. & Final 4:52 p.m. (6/23)
Curtis Mitchell                              200   R1 2:40 p.m. (6/22), Semi 2:05 p.m. & Final 4:10 p.m. (6/23)
Tyron Stewart                   Long Jump   Final 2:30 p.m. (6/23)
Women                                 Events   Competition Date
Kamaria Brown                             200   R1 3:35 p.m. (6/22), Semi 2:22 p.m. & Final 4:20 p.m. (6/23)
Olivia Ekponé                                200   R1 3:35 p.m. (6/22), Semi 2:22 p.m. & Final 4:20 p.m. (6/23)
Donique' Flemings        100 Hurdles   R1 5:15 p.m. (6/21), Semi 2:25 p.m. & Final 5:52 p.m. (6/22)
LaQue Moen-Davis                    LJ, TJ   TJ – Final 3 p.m. (6/20), LJ – Final 3:15 p.m. (6/22)
Jessica Beard                                400   R1 5:20 p.m. (6/20), Semi 7:36 p.m. (6/21), Final 5:08 p.m. (6/22)
Ariana Ince                               Javelin   Final 6:15 p.m. (6/20)
Porscha Lucas                               200   R1 3:35 p.m. (6/22), Semi 2:22 p.m. & Final 4:20 p.m. (6/23)
Jeneba Tarmoh                             100   R1 6:25 p.m. (6/20), Semi 6:45 & Final 8:42 p.m. (6/21)
                                                        200   R1 3:35 p.m. (6/22), Semi 2:22 p.m. & Final 4:20 p.m. (6/23)
Lauryn Williams                            100   R1 6:25 p.m. (6/20), Semi 6:45 & Final 8:42 p.m. (6/21)
USATF Junior Championships
Women                                    Events   Competition Date
Jennifer Madu                         100, TJ   100 – 11:50 a.m. & 1:56 p.m. (6/20), TJ – 1 p.m. (6/20)
Incoming freshmen
Lauren Bedrich              100H, 400H   100H - 11:30 a.m. & 1:40 p.m. (6/20), 400H – 3 p.m. (6/21), 1:38 p.m. (6/22)
Aaliyah Brown                     100, 200   100 – 11:50 a.m. & 1:56 p.m. (6/20), 200 – 12:20 p.m. & 3:45 p.m. (6/21)
Shamier Little                    400, 100H   100H – 11:30 a.m. & 1:40 p.m. (6/20), 400 – 1:55 p.m. (6/21), 1:46 p.m. (6/22)