June 30, 2008

KINGSTON, Jamaica - Two former George Mason men's track and field standouts have earned a spot in this summer's Olympic Games in Beijing, China, as Richard Phillips and Maurice Wignall both finished in the top three of the 110-meter hurdles at Jamaica's Olympic Trials this past weekend. Both competed for Jamaica in the 2004 Olympics as well.

Phillips finished first in the event with a time of 13.57, while Wignall claimed third place with a time of 13.65. Both have already attained Olympic `A' standard times to secure a spot in the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, which will be held from August 8 to August 24.

Both athletes' names can be found among the greatest in Patriot track and field history. Phillips holds the school record in the indoor 60-meter hurdles (7.68, 2005) and the outdoor 110-meter hurdles of 13.48, set in 2004. He is a four-time all-American in the 60-meter hurdles as well as the 110-meter hurdles and as part of Mason's 4x100-meter relay in 2003.

He was a 2004 Olympian in Athens, advancing to the semi-finals of the 110-meter hurdles, missing the finals by 15 hundredths of a second as he recorded a time of 13.39.

Wignall holds claim to one of Mason's 17 men's track and field national titles, as he won the indoor long jump with a distance of 26-1.5 (7.96m) in 1999. He competed at the 2004 Olympics as well, narrowly missing a medal finish in the 110-meter hurdles as he finished fourth in 13.21.

Wignall holds the Jamaican national record of 13.17 in the event, also set at the Athens Olympics.A seven time All-American at George Mason, Wignall is the school record holder in the long jump during the outdoor season with a mark of 26-9 (8.15m).

The 110-meter hurdles are set to begin on Monday, August 18 at the Beijing National Stadium, with preliminary heats scheduled for 11:10 a.m. local time, which is Sunday night at 11:10 p.m. Eastern time.

EVENT RESULTS
Men 110 Meter Hurdles
Name              Prelims Finals Wind
Finals
1 Phillips, Richard 13.78 13.57 -0.5
2 Wright, Decosma  14.03 13.64 -0.5
3 Wignall, Maurice  14.17 13.65 -0.5
4 Keddo, Eric  14.06 13.80 -0.5
5 Forbes, Ronald  13.84 13.88 -0.5
6 Waugh, Gerald 14.19 13.98 -0.5
7 Leith, Sheldon  14.03 14.08 -0.5
8 Pitt, Kallinka  14.15 14.14 -0.5
Preliminaries
9 Stewart, Keiron 14.21
10 Bernard, Claston 14.49
11 Powell, David 14.50