Airman earns spot on Olympic track, field team

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. J.C. Woodring
  • Air Force Print News
SAN ANTONIO --  First Lt. James Parker, an Air Force world-class athlete from Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic track and field team July 12 with a hammer throw of 254 feet, 6 inches.

“I came into the Air Force to serve my country,” said Lieutenant Parker, who has been throwing the hammer for 10 years. “To represent the Air Force and the country on the athletic side is ... the biggest honor of my life.”

In the preliminaries of the U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Sacramento, Calif., on July 10, each of the 24 competitors was allowed three throws to determine advancement to the finals. People who throw farther than 236-3 are automatically qualified for the finals.

Lieutenant Parker said he had a “mental edge” on the other athletes going into the competition because he had farther marks than the others and was favored to make the team.

He said he also felt a lot of pressure because he witnessed several other favored athletes not make the team.

“On the day, you never know what will happen,” Lieutenant Parker said. “It really was a nerve-racking situation.”

As the last competitor to throw in the first round, Lieutenant Parker stepped into the circle and tossed a 240-3, the longest throw of the day. He then sat back and analyzed his competition for the finals.

In the first round of the finals, the lieutenant established the benchmark of 245-1 on his first throw and increased it to 251-4 on his final throw of the round.

During the final round, Lieutenant Parker tossed his best throw of the day, 254-6. Winning this event and his 259-10 throw during a meet at Brigham Young University on June 26 placed Lieutenant Parker on this year’s Olympic team. (Information provided by Air Force Services Agency)