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EUGENE, Ore. — Mizzou Track & Field alumna Karissa Schweizer will represent the United States of America in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, qualifying for one of three spots in the women’s 5,000m after finishing second at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Monday.
Schweizer becomes the first woman from the University of Missouri to qualify for the Olympics in track & field since Natasha Kaiser at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. She is also the first Mizzou track & field Olympian since Christian Cantwell at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Her Olympic team qualification comes as a culmination of a historic running career. In her time in the Black and Gold, Schweizer won six national championships, set six school records, one collegiate record and was named an All-American 10 times.
Running for Bowerman Track Club, Schweizer continued taking down records, setting a new American record in the indoor 3,000m and running under the American record time in the outdoor 10,000m.
In the preliminary race of the trials, Schweizer finished sixth overall, running 15:32.63. In the final race, she led the field headed into the final lap before being passed in the final 50m to clock a 15:28.11 mark.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games begin on Friday, July 23, and will run through Sunday, August 8.
Hear from coaches Brett Halter and Marc Burns:
“I know I speak for Tiger Nation that we are so proud of Karissa,” head track & field coach Brett Halter said. “[You’ll be] hard pressed to find a better person to represent the United States and the ideals of the Olympic Games.”
“We are so happy for Karissa to achieve the first step of a lifelong goal to be an Olympian!” head cross country coach Marc Burns said. “Now it is time to get ready to make a podium run! Her dream started in Des Moines and became something very real during her time as a Tiger. The Bowerman Track Club has continued to nurture her dream. Mizzou nation is so proud of her, and we will be cheering her on all the way!”
For all the latest on Mizzou Track & Field, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (MizzouTFXC).
