VonHeeder will compete in U.S. Olympic trials

Plains native Carley VonHeeder will be competing in this week's U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

VonHeeder became the Montana State University Bobcats' record holder in the women's javelin as she took first place at the Big Sky Championships with her personal-best throw of 173 feet, 10 inches. That mark helped boost her into a spot at the U.S. Olympic Trials as it stands as the 22nd best throw of the year among female American javelin throwers.

VonHeeder is scheduled to compete in the qualifying round of the event at 2 p.m. Friday, June 25, at Hayward Field.

VonHeeder will join three other Bobcat competitors in Eugene vying for a chance to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo in August.

The U.S. Olympic Team Trials for track and field will take place from June 18-27.

VonHeeder, along with Drake Schneider, will be making their first appearances at the newly renovated track and field facility in Eugene.

VonHeeder graduated from Plains in 2016. She qualified for the state championships four times and won two state titles, one in 2013 in her freshman season and the second in 2015 as a junior. She placed seventh in 2014.

The Trotters won four consecutive Montana High School state titles during VonHeeder’s time in high school in track and field, three of them in Class B and one in MHSA Class C, VonHeeder’s senior year.

Duncan Hamilton qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials by meeting the men's standard of 8 minutes, 32 seconds, in the steeplechase. Lucy Corbett, Schneider and VonHeeder each had their declared entries accepted by the USATF.

"It is very exciting to have four of our current student-athletes competing in the Olympic Trials representing Montana State University," said Lyle Weese, MSU's Dale Kennedy Director of Track and Field. "It is an experience that they will probably remember for the rest of their lives. I'm just really thrilled that they get to have this opportunity."

NBC and NBCSN will provide coverage over eight nights, including six in primetime on NBC.

Live coverage concludes on Sunday, June 27, at 7 p.m. ET on NBC with numerous events, including the men's 200 and women's 400 hurdles finals.

NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app will present exclusive streaming coverage of select field events, including long jump, pole vault, shot put, hammer, javelin, discus, 20km race walk, decathlon and heptathlon.