LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Former CSU Bakersfield standout track and field
star and three-time Division II NCAA shot put champion Chris Figures has earned
an invitation to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials June 22 through July 1 in Eugene,
Ore., after he recorded an automatic standard-A mark in the shot put at the USA
Track and Field West Region Championships/Jim Bush Track and Field Invitational
on Saturday at UCLA.
Figures, who attended CSUB from 2004-06 when he earned All-American status
11 times, posted a mark of 65-10.5 feet (20.08 meters) to take third place in
the shot put competition on Saturday. The mark automatically qualified Figures
for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials as it passed the automatic standard-A qualifying
mark of 20 meters.
The accomplishment marks the third time Figures has qualified for the
prestigious meet that decides which American athletes will represent the
country at the Olympics. He even advanced to the finals of the shot put at the
Olympic Team Trials in 2004 and 2008.
Figures, who is now 30 years old, has continued to pursue an outstanding
throwing career after his time as a Roadrunner, but took a break from competing
in 2010-11. Then he decided to get back in the game and began training again
under the guidance of a familiar face - CSUB head track and field coach
Alan Collatz. Collatz has been coaching Figures since January with the hopes of
sending Figures back to the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
"Chris was an outstanding student-athlete when he was at CSUB and has gone
on to have a great post-collegiate career," Collatz said. "Chris has done a
great job of representing CSUB and Bakersfield as he has continued to compete
at a very high level. The community should be proud of all that he has
accomplished."
In his time at CSUB, Figures earned All-American status in the shot put five
times, twice in the weight throw, twice in the discus and twice in the hammer.
Figures is still the school's record holder in the shot put (65-11 in 2005) and
the weight throw (67-5.25 in 2005).
Figures will now continue training with Collatz to prepare for the U.S.
Olympic Team Trials where he will compete against the best shot putters in the
country with his sights set on advancing to the 2012 Olympics July 27 through
Aug. 12 in London.
~www.GoRunners.com~
