Former Lion Alex Young Qualifies for Olympics in Hammer Throw

EUGENE, OREGON – JUNE 20: Alex Young competes in the Men’s Hammer Throw Final on day three of the 2020 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team Trials at Hayward Field on June 20, 2021 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

by: WGNO Web Desk

Posted: Jun 21, 2021 / 12:52 PM AST

Updated: Jun 21, 2021 / 12:52 PM AST

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EUGENE, Ore. – Former Southeastern Track and Field standout Alex Young finished third in the hammer throw Sunday at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying for the Olympics in Tokyo, Japan in August.

Young, who threw for the Lions from 2015-17, threw a 78.32m (256 feet, 11 inches) on his sixth attempt Sunday securing his spot in Tokyo. The Nashville, Tennessee native set a personal best in route to becoming just the fifth athlete in SLU program history to qualify for the Olympics.

The 2016-17 Southeastern Male Athlete of the Year, Young is slated to compete in the hammer throw in Tokyo Sunday, August 1 with the qualifying round at 7 p.m. CT (Monday, Aug. 2 – 9 a.m. Japan Standard Time).

Young, the SLU school recorder holder in the hammer throw, joins an elite group of former Lions to make the Olympics including Curtis Moss (Canada – 2012), Christine Amertil (Bahamas – 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012), Makarios DJan (Ghana-1984) and Willie Amake (Ghana – 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996).

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