USF Track & Field in the Olympics
August 15, 2008 | Track & Field, W Track & Field
TAMPA - - While the world's eyes are focused in on Beijing for this summer's Olympic Games, a pair of former University of South Florida track and field stars will grab their attention.
Damu Cherry, a member of Team USA, will compete in the 100-meter hurdles beginning on Aug. 17 and will go into the competition ranked second in the world.
Sasha Springer-Jones, a sprinter for Trinidad and Tobago, will show off her talents in the 100-meter-dash and the 4x100 relay.
The duo of Cherry and Springer-Jones teamed up in 2000 to become All-Americans when, along with Maiteland Marks and Amber Williams, the USF 4x100 relay team placed eighth in the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Cherry, a graduate of Tampa's own Leto High School, came to USF and had a large impact during the 2000 season. Combined with both the indoor and outdoor schedules, Cherry set three school records (55-meter, 60-meter and 100-meter hurdles).
Now with Cherry in the world's biggest athletic spotlight, she has a claim that no other USF current or former student-athlete can match. Although Cherry and Springer-Jones become USF's third and fourth all-time Olympians, only Cherry has represented the Red, White and Blue.
"She's just an example of a hard worker who wouldn't give up and was willing to sacrifice so many things to improve," said Greg Thiel, her former USF hurdles coach to the Tampa Tribune. "Very few athletes ever commit themselves to that level for that length of time to find out how good they can really be."
After transferring from Dodge City Community College, Springer-Jones was a standout for USF in the 200-meter-dash and in the relay events. She was a member of the teams that have school record holding times in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.
Springer-Jones was born in Port-O-Spain, Trinidad and will be USF's first ever Olympic competitor in the 100-meter dash.
The two outstanding athletes also mark the first two females to reach this stage in the school's history.
Llewelyn Bredwood participated in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney as a part of Jamaica's 4x100 relay squad. His team finished just out of being on the medal podium after placing fourth with a time of 38.2 seconds.
Bredwood still holds USF school records in the 100-meter-dash (10.20), 200-meter-dash (20.50) and a share of the best time in the 4x100 relay (41.10).
Kemel Thompson, like Bredwood, represented Jamaica in the 2000 Sydney Games, but also went on to the 2004 Athens Games as well. Thompson, USF's only two-time Olympian, ran in the 400-meter hurdles.
A trio of other Bulls, two former and one current, came very close to reaching this year's Olympics but fell just short.
Chandra Brewer, who now is a middle school teacher in Alabama, reached the USA Olympic qualifying finals in Oregon and needed to place in the top three to garner a spot on the squad.
The USF three-time All-American from 2003-2005 in the shot put tried to move on to Beijing in the same event, but her Olympic qualifying mark of 59'2” put her in the dreaded fourth position, just three inches behind third place, which put her just one spot out of the Summer Games.
Dayana Octavien, an All-American for USF in 2004 in both the discus throw and the weight throw and the Conference USA Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year as a senior, attempted to qualify for the discus competition for Haiti, but ended up just a couple of meters short in her measured tries.
USF sophomore Mikese Morse traveled to Eugene, Ore. in late June to participate in the USA Olympic Trials for the long jump. Morse advanced past the preliminaries with a leap of 7.79m (25'6.75”), which ended up being the mark that moved him into the finals.
During the Sunday afternoon finals, Morse was unable to crack the necessary top-three spot to make the team, but has a bright future left in front of him both on the collegiate and international level.
“I've got that taste in my mouth now so I'm ready to get back at it and work harder so the next time when I come back and compete against the best again, I'll be even more ready than this year,” added Morse.
When 2012 rolls around, expect many Bulls to be crossing the pond and paying a visit to Buckingham Palace. But more importantly, going for the gold in London.
Damu Cherry, a member of Team USA, will compete in the 100-meter hurdles beginning on Aug. 17 and will go into the competition ranked second in the world.
Sasha Springer-Jones, a sprinter for Trinidad and Tobago, will show off her talents in the 100-meter-dash and the 4x100 relay.
The duo of Cherry and Springer-Jones teamed up in 2000 to become All-Americans when, along with Maiteland Marks and Amber Williams, the USF 4x100 relay team placed eighth in the NCAA Outdoor Championships.
Cherry, a graduate of Tampa's own Leto High School, came to USF and had a large impact during the 2000 season. Combined with both the indoor and outdoor schedules, Cherry set three school records (55-meter, 60-meter and 100-meter hurdles).
Now with Cherry in the world's biggest athletic spotlight, she has a claim that no other USF current or former student-athlete can match. Although Cherry and Springer-Jones become USF's third and fourth all-time Olympians, only Cherry has represented the Red, White and Blue.
"She's just an example of a hard worker who wouldn't give up and was willing to sacrifice so many things to improve," said Greg Thiel, her former USF hurdles coach to the Tampa Tribune. "Very few athletes ever commit themselves to that level for that length of time to find out how good they can really be."
After transferring from Dodge City Community College, Springer-Jones was a standout for USF in the 200-meter-dash and in the relay events. She was a member of the teams that have school record holding times in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.
Springer-Jones was born in Port-O-Spain, Trinidad and will be USF's first ever Olympic competitor in the 100-meter dash.
The two outstanding athletes also mark the first two females to reach this stage in the school's history.
Llewelyn Bredwood participated in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney as a part of Jamaica's 4x100 relay squad. His team finished just out of being on the medal podium after placing fourth with a time of 38.2 seconds.
Bredwood still holds USF school records in the 100-meter-dash (10.20), 200-meter-dash (20.50) and a share of the best time in the 4x100 relay (41.10).
Kemel Thompson, like Bredwood, represented Jamaica in the 2000 Sydney Games, but also went on to the 2004 Athens Games as well. Thompson, USF's only two-time Olympian, ran in the 400-meter hurdles.
A trio of other Bulls, two former and one current, came very close to reaching this year's Olympics but fell just short.
Chandra Brewer, who now is a middle school teacher in Alabama, reached the USA Olympic qualifying finals in Oregon and needed to place in the top three to garner a spot on the squad.
The USF three-time All-American from 2003-2005 in the shot put tried to move on to Beijing in the same event, but her Olympic qualifying mark of 59'2” put her in the dreaded fourth position, just three inches behind third place, which put her just one spot out of the Summer Games.
Dayana Octavien, an All-American for USF in 2004 in both the discus throw and the weight throw and the Conference USA Female Track & Field Athlete of the Year as a senior, attempted to qualify for the discus competition for Haiti, but ended up just a couple of meters short in her measured tries.
USF sophomore Mikese Morse traveled to Eugene, Ore. in late June to participate in the USA Olympic Trials for the long jump. Morse advanced past the preliminaries with a leap of 7.79m (25'6.75”), which ended up being the mark that moved him into the finals.
During the Sunday afternoon finals, Morse was unable to crack the necessary top-three spot to make the team, but has a bright future left in front of him both on the collegiate and international level.
“I've got that taste in my mouth now so I'm ready to get back at it and work harder so the next time when I come back and compete against the best again, I'll be even more ready than this year,” added Morse.
When 2012 rolls around, expect many Bulls to be crossing the pond and paying a visit to Buckingham Palace. But more importantly, going for the gold in London.
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