4 athletes with Air Force ties prepare for Olympic trials

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U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) --  Four athletes with ties to the Air Force track and field program will travel and compete in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials starting June 27 at Eugene, Ore. 

Gunning for a spot on the U.S. team for the Olympics are Paul Gensic in the pole vault and Dana Pounds in the women's javelin throw, who are both competing as a part of the Air Force World Class Athlete Program.

Volunteer cross country coach Lopez Lomong will also compete at the trials in the 1500-meter run. He enters the Olympic trials ranked fifth in that event with a time of 3:36.36. He begins the quarterfinal heat of competition July 3.
 
In addition, Nate Garcia, a member of the Army's World Class Athlete Program who has been training with Air Force volunteer coach Bob Graf, will be competing in the 400-meter hurdles. With a qualifying time of 49.54, Garcia is ranked 19th in that event.

Gensic, currently tied for 13th in the pole vault with a personal-best jump of 18 feet 4½ inches, will compete at the trials June 27. 

Pounds, ranked third in the javelin with a mark of 196'7", will compete in the qualifying round June 28. Pounds will be making her second appearance at the Olympic trials. In 2004, Pounds finished sixth at the Olympic trials with a then-personal-best throw of 173'3".

The Olympic Trials will run from June 27 through July 6. The top three finishers from each event who have met the Olympic "A" standard will be named to the team that will represent the United States at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

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