Las Vegan Amanda Bingson fails to make Olympic team
EUGENE, Ore. — Silverado High School and UNLV alumna Amanda Bingson fell short Wednesday at qualifying for her second straight Olympic team in the women’s hammer throw.
Bingson finished fourth at the U.S. Track and Field Trials at Hayward Stadium, with her best throw of the day (70.30 meters, 230.8 feet) coming on her final attempt and yet still more than 9 feet short of a top-three mark and trip to Rio next month.
“I was garbage,” said Bingson, who qualified for the London Olympics in 2012 and finished 28th. “But the great thing about the United States is you have to earn your way onto the team. We have to show up on the day and compete. It’s all on me, and I wasn’t good enough, plain and simple.
“The best three go. It’s not what I wanted, but this is probably the most competitive our event has been and we have a great team going to Rio.”
Bingson, 26, said she will continue to compete and will now set her sights on next year’s world championships in London.
“I’m still really young,” she said. “Women do this event well into their 30s. It just wasn’t meant to be this time. It’s just one team I didn’t make.”
Amber Campbell, Gwen Berry and Deanna Price finished first, second and third and are headed to Rio.
This is a developing story. Check back later for updates.
Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be a heard on “Seat and Ed” on Fox Sports 1340 from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. On Twitter: @edgraney
