Hawkeye Throwers Continue Competition

June 30, 2008

IOWA CITY, IA — Hawkeye junior throwers A.J. Curtis and John Hickey have extended their competitive seasons. Curtis will compete at the 2008 US. Olympic Team Trials later this week, while Hickey has been selected for the 2008 NACAC (North America, Central America and Caribbean) Under 23 Track and Field Championships in July.

Curtis, who holds the Hawkeye school discus record of 202-11, will compete in the discus qualifying round Thursday at 10:30 p.m. (CT). The discus finals will be held Sunday at 4:20 p.m. (CT). All events are being held at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon in Eugene, OR. The top three finishers in each competition, who have met Olympic performance standards, will earn the ultimate prize of a spot on the Team USA roster for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Curtis is a two-time all-region honoree who holds the school record for most times qualifying for the NCAA Midwest Regional (6).

Hickey is one of two shot putters to represent the United States at the NACAC Under 23 Games in Toluca, Mexico. The event will be held July 18-20. Hickey is an all-American and two-time Big Ten champion in the shot put. He is no stranger to national and international competition as he won the shot put (63-3 1/4) at the 2006 USATF Junior National Championships and placed fourth in the shot put (65-2) at the 2006 IAAF World Junior Championships in Beijing, China.

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