Friday night at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Oregon at Hayward Field, four athletes with Montana ties competed.

In the second heat of the women's 1,500 semifinal, Billings' Christina Aragon was vying for one of five automatic qualifying spots or one of the next two fastest times to be able to move on to the final scheduled for Sunday at 6:09 p.m. (MDT). 

She secured her spot by snagging the last time qualifier in a new personal best time of 4 minutes, 5.36 seconds.

Billings' Christina Aragon advanced to the women's 1,500 final with her semifinal run Friday at the U.S. Olympic Trials June 28, 2024 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Sporting her white and red Bowerman jersey, Aragon started from the outside and hung with the lead pack for much of the race before they started to pull away with about 500 meters to go. Aragon kept chasing and came through in her third PR time she's run this season to make her first Olympic Trials final.

"I feel like getting to the final is how you give yourself a shot at making that team," Aragon said in an interview ahead of the Trials.

"I just want to be on and go for it and I think if I do that I will be happy no matter what."

Aragon went out in the semifinal round in 2016 before going on to a college career at Stanford and turning professional with Bowerman Track Club. Her older sister, Dani, did not advance from the first round on Thursday, but Dani made the event final at the Trials in 2021.

Billings' Alysa Keller, now at BYU, throws her first attempt at the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. June 28, 2024.

To start the day with the first heat of the women's javelin flights, Billings West graduate and current BYU thrower Alysa Keller threw 156 feet, 7 inches on her first attempt to get on the board and was in 10th place after the first round of throws.

Keller, who started the event three years ago as a high school junior, was slotted right behind four-time Olympian Kara Winger in the throwing order.

After fouling her second attempt, Keller was left with one remaining attempt to try to move up from then the 11th-best mark with 12 throwers still to throw after her. The top 12 of the field of 24 would ultimately advance to Sunday's final.

Billings' Alysa Keller lines up with the other competitors ahead of the women's javelin at the U.S. Olympic Trials June 28, 2024 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

She stepped to the runway wearing her black uniform and balancing the orange javelin in her hand. She took a few deep breaths, adjusted her grip and started her approach. She threw 145-11 on her third attempt, unable to move up and ultimately finished 23rd overall. Winger earned the top qualifying spot at 206-8.

In an interview ahead of the Trials, Keller said she plans to return to Billings for the next month or so before she will leave for the World Athletics U20 Championships in August to be held in Lima, Peru.

Kieran McKeag throws the hammer during the U.S. Olympic Trials June 28, 2024 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

In the men's hammer throw, Kieran McKeag was vying to be one of the top 12 out of 24 competitors to advance to the final. 

McKeag, a former thrower from the University of Minnesota and Alabama, moved to Ballantine with his fiance Hailey Poole and has spent the year training in their field as well as volunteering with the Huntley Project throwers.

Competing unattached and wearing a plain gray shirt, he stepped into the cage and took a deep breath before beginning to swing the hammer around his head. He released and fouled his first attempt into the cage.

Kieran McKeag winds up in the cage during the U.S. Olympic Trials men's hammer throw June 28, 2024 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

He recovered and threw 230-9 on his second attempt to move up into 17th overall, but other throwers would improve on their subsequent throws. His third attempt was 224-11 and he finished 20th overall. Rudy Winkler took the top qualifying mark with 252-11.

McKeag spent the season competing when and where he could and qualified for the the Trials by throwing the automatic qualifying mark in April at the Cat/Griz Dual in Bozeman.

Kieran McKeag throws the hammer during the U.S. Olympic Trials June 28, 2024 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

In the men's 400 hurdles, former Montana State Bobcat Drake Schneider was ninth in the second semifinal in 53.77 seconds. The top two finishers from each semifinal as well as the next three fastest times advanced to the final scheduled for Sunday. 

Former Bobcat Drake Schneider finished ninth in his semifinal of the men's 400 hurdles June 28, 2024 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Schneider, running out of lane three went out quickly and had moved up to third through the first three hurdles. He was fifth through seven and dropped back to ninth over the final two.

Olympian Rai Benjamin earned the top qualifying time in 47.97. Schneider ended up as 27th overall.

In three appearances at the U.S. outdoor championships, Schneider has gone out in the semifinals each time. He was a multi-time Big Sky outdoor champion and is the Big Sky record holder in the men's 400 hurdles during his Bobcat career.

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