Past and Present Tigers Prepare for U.S. Olympic Trials

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Seven Mizzou Track & Field athletes and alumni will be competing at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, from June 18-27. For the four current Tigers, three competed in Track Town U.S.A. earlier in the month at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Headlining the Black and Gold, Karissa Schweizer (2015-18) will be making her first Olympic trials appearance in the 5,000m and 10,000m races. The most decorated athlete in school history, Schweizer holds six program records in the indoor mile, indoor 3,000m, indoor and outdoor 5,000m, outdoor 1,500m and outdoor 10,000m. 

Schweizer ended her collegiate career as a six-time NCAA Champion, including winning back-to-back national championships in both the indoor and outdoor 5,000m. She also holds the collegiate record in the 10,000m.

Running professionally for Bowerman Track Club, Schweizer continued to dominate the field, setting a new American record in the indoor 3,000m by over seven seconds. In July 2020, she and teammate Shelby Houlihan both broke the American record in the outdoor 10,000m with Houlihan edging her out by just three seconds. The Urbandale, Iowa, native also holds a top-10 all-time time in the 1500m.

Also vying for a trip to Tokyo is two-time SEC Champion Gabi Jacobs (2015-19) in the discus. Jacobs is the school record holder in the women’s discus and finished fifth at NCAA Championships in the event twice. She also ranks in the top-10 in in both the indoor and outdoor shotput.

Alum Avery Carter (2015-19) rounds out the former Tigers who will make appearances in Eugene. Carter will compete in the hammer throw. He ranks third all-time in program history in the event.

Four current field athletes will also be competing in their first trials.

All-American freshman Skylar Ciccolini will return to the Pacific Northwest to compete in the javelin throw. She finished her inaugural season in ninth in the event at the 2021 NCAA Championships. Ciccolini also holds the women’s javelin school record.

She will be joined by redshirt freshman Mitch Weber, who also made an appearance at the NCAA Championships. Weber was named SEC Co-Newcomer of the Year this spring for his performance in the discus, finishing second at SEC Championships.

Also competing in a throws event will be Jordan McClendon, who finished her collegiate career at the NCAA West Preliminary in College Station, Texas, in May. She will compete in the hammer throw.

Junior Arianna Fisher also try her hand at qualifying for the Olympic team in the triple jump. Fisher was a 2021 indoor and outdoor NCAA Championship qualifier in the event and holds the school record indoors.

The U.S. Olympic Trials – Track & Field will be streamed and televised on NBCSN and NBC during each day of the competition. For a full meet schedule, follow the link.

For all the latest on Mizzou Track & Field, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (MizzouTFXC).

Mizzou Athletes Schedule (All times CST) —

Friday, June 18 —

2:05 p.m.: Avery Carter, Men’s Hammer Throw (Qualifying)

4 p.m.: Gabi Jacobs, Women’s Discus (Qualifying)

8:15 p.m.: Arianna Fisher, Women’s Triple Jump (Qualifying)

7:54 p.m.: Karissa Schweizer, 5,000m (1st round)

Saturday, June 19 —

8:42 p.m.: Gabi Jacobs, Women’s Discus (Final)

Sunday, June 20 —

6:25 p.m.: Aaron Carter, Men’s Hammer Throw (Final)

7:55 p.m.: Arianna Fisher, Women’s Triple Jump (Final)

Monday, June 21 —

7:40 p.m.: Karissa Schweizer, Women’s 5,000m (Final)

Thursday, June 24 —

3:25 p.m.: Jordan McClendon, Women’s Hammer Throw (Qualifying)

9:05 p.m.: Mitch Weber, Men’s Discus (Qualifying)

Friday, June 25 —

3 p.m.: Skylar Ciccolini, Women’s Javelin (Qualifying)

5:30 p.m.: Mitch Weber, Men’s Discus (Final)

Saturday, June 26 —

6:05 p.m.: Jordan McClendon, Women’s Hammer Throw (Final)

7:30 p.m.: Skylar Ciccolini, Women’s Javelin (Final)

8:44 p.m.: Karissa Schweizer, Women’s 10,000m (Final)