EUGENE, Ore. – A Houston-area athlete punched her ticket to Rio Saturday after making a major statement at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in the javelin throw.
Maggie Malone, who just finished her senior year at Texas A&M, saved her very best effort for the trial’s last day and won a spot on the Olympic team.
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"I'm just so blessed to be here,” Malone said. “I have the best coaches in the world. I have a great support system and it's just surreal to be here and say that I'm going to Rio."
Her longest throw was 199.7 — the longest of the day.
The win came on the fifth of six throws for her, but even her second best throw was good enough for her to make this 2016 Olympic team.
The Aggie graduate is originally from Nebraska. Malone was joined at the tryouts in Eugene, Oregon by her younger sister Audrey.
"I just want to say thank you to everybody back in Nebraska and back in college station. Thank you,” Malone said.