Eugene, Ore.
The 11th-place finisher at U.S. Track and Field Trials will be heading to Rio, because he was one of only three throwers in the final who had the Olympic standard.
Fourth-place finisher Sam Crouser is also going, as is the winner, Cyrus Hostetler, whose throw of 273 feet, 1 inch, was good for the title.
Normally, the top three finishers in an event would qualify. But since second-place Curtis Thompson and third-place Riley Dolezal hadn’t thrown the Olympic standard of 272 feet, 3 inches, this year, they are not eligible to go.
It will be the second Olympics for Furey, who made the London games four years ago in similar circumstances. The 2005 Dartmouth graduate was fourth at the U.S. trials in 2012, but he gained a trip to England because the top two throwers failed to make the Olympic “A” standard.
Meanwhile, another ex-Big Green standout took a step — a lot of them, actually — toward toward Rio, as Ben True advanced to the finals in the men’s 5,000-meter run.
True was third in his heat in 13 minutes, 48.11 seconds and eventually ranked third overall after both heats were completed. The top six runners from each of two heats along with the next four fastest athletes advanced to Saturday’s final, from which the United States’ representatives in the event will be determined.
True’s wife, Sarah Groff, has already qualified for the U.S. Olympic roster in the women’s triathlon.
In a fitting result, Army reservist Sam Kendricks won the pole vault on the Fourth of July.
The second lieutenant proudly waved his red, white and blue flag after setting a U.S. Track and Field Trials record by clearing 19 feet, 4 ¾ inches to make the Olympic team.
It was a big day for the Armed Forces all around, with U.S. Air Force pole vaulter Cale Simmons taking second on the holiday. Logan Cunningham was third.