Chari Hawkins, the former Utah State All-American, finished third in the heptathlon at the U.S. track and field championships Friday in Eugene, Ore., to earn a spot on the U.S. team that will compete in the world championships in four weeks.
The 32-year-old Hawkins, who is coached by former BYU head track coach Craig Poole, finished with 6,053 points to win a spot on the U.S. world championships team for the second time in four years.
The competition was won by rising young superstar Anna Hall with 6,677 points, followed by Taliyah Brooks with 6,319 points.
Hawkins battled Annie Kunz for the third and final spot on the world championships roster, with only four points separating them.
Another former USU athlete, Talie Bonds, who transferred from USU to Arizona a couple of years ago, advanced out of the first round of the 100-meter hurdles Friday, producing the 12th-fastest time of the day (13.03).
She will compete in the semifinals on Saturday. Bonds finished fourth in the recent NCAA championships.
Half of the 16 jumpers in the height jump competition failed to clear a height, including BYU’s Cierra Tidwell. One coach blamed it on the demanding opening height of 5-11 1/4.
FIve current and former BYU athletes will be in action during Saturday’s competition — Zach McWhorter in the pole vault, Cameron Bates in the javelin and Courtney Wayment, Lexy Halladay and Kenneth Rooks in the steeplechase.
Rooks, the NCAA champion, and Wayment are among the favorites to win their races.