Taking the Next Step in Unison
Trio of Colorado State throwers set for U.S. Olympic Trials
Mike Brohard
Just another day of practice.
While Gabi Morris was going through her stretching routine in the grass, Michaela Hawkins and Mya Lesnar made fun of her. Coach Brian Bedard added a quip or two, leading Morris to salute them all for their creativity.
This is the culture of the throws group at Colorado State, one which consistently produces champions at the Mountain West level, occasionally on a national stage. The work gets done, but not without a bit of fun. The only thing missing was some music because they’d forgotten to charge the portable speaker.
When the session finished on a sunny Tuesday morning, it was time to head to the weight room. As Lesnar put it, this is the routine they’ve followed since this past August, it’s served them well to this point so there’s no reason the change.
“I think it’s great. They were somewhat that way at the NCAA Championships,” Bedard said. “They were pretty loose the whole time; they keep it in perspective. When it’s time to get in there and compete, they’re focused. I think a healthy amount of let’s-have-fun-with-it is good, enjoy each other and their sense of humor is great.”
The fact their next meet is the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., it becomes particularly important not to change the routine. It may be the biggest meet any of them have ever attended, but that’s beside the point. It just so happens to be the fourth consecutive high-stress meet they’ll compete in, and they do everything they can to erase the tension.
The trio is fresh of earning first-team All-American status at the NCAA Championships, Lesnar and Morris in the shot put, Hawkins in the discus. Another teammate, Yasmin Austridge, will be at the trials for Great Britain in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Former Rams Lauren Gale (Canada, springs), Mostafa Hassan (Egypt, shot put) and Shadae Lawrence (Jamaica, discus) will also be vying for Olympic spots when the 2024 Paris Games run July 26-Aug. 11. Events in track and field begin on Aug. 1.
Both Hassan and Lawrence made the finals at the 2021 Tokyo Games; Gale was an alternate on relays.
The current Rams’ trio carries Olympic aspirations, though not necessarily for 2024. What they hope for most of all is to gain the experience necessary for future challenges.
“None of us are going, ‘we are going to make the Olympics,’” Morris said. “There’s obviously some hopes, especially for Mya, who is closer than anybody, but the cool part is it’s just a cool experience, practice throwing a big meet.”
Lesnar, the NCAA Indoor champion, knows she’s talented, but she not convinced it is quite yet her time. She and Hawkins are both ranked in the top 10 nationally, but only three will advance from the field, required they hit the Olympic minimum. To date, only Lesnar has done so.
She’s not alone. The trio bantered about in admiration about the professionals they will face, women who put all their time into training, yet space it out to maximize results for the crucial moments. They discussed who the average age of the field at nationals last year was 29 in the discus.
Every big event like this, you should use it and learn from the experience.Brian Bedard
In the shot put, Lesnar and Morris will be competing against Raven Saunders, who was the silver medalist from the 2021 Tokyo Games. Hawkins will be up against Longmont native and defending gold medalist Valarie Allman.
Lesnar said they’re not downplaying their chances, rather they are taking a logical and rational approach.
“We’re still in college, so no expectations. We go, get experience and we’re really not expected to make the team,” Lesnar said. “I’ve told people this before, there are four or five women who can make the team and I’d be happy for them because that’s what they’ve been training for. They’re ready to go.
“Would I say I’m ready to go? Hell no. Like, I’m not ready to go. If I make the team, great, then I’ll change my mindset, but there are other women who are way more qualified, and I want you to represent the U.S. for us and I’ll go the next two or three more times. I’m still way younger than these women. Some of these women are 30. That’s not us lowering our standard, but that’s us being realistic.”
What they really want is to do their best on their given day of competition and take away the lessons from being on that stage, against an elite field. To see what the best the country has to offer and figure out what they need to alter in order to be the next in line.
For Lesnar and Morris, they still have collegiate eligibility. Hawkins, she’ll be turning pro with the intention of remaining in the area and continuing to train.
For Bedard, who has attended the trials with numerous throwers over his Colorado State tenure, this is nothing new. His goal is to have them walk in carrying the same mindset as any meet – a tough ask, he knows – and walk out with a renewed sense of purpose.
“Any experience, hopefully you learn from it. Maybe it goes well or somewhere in between not so well, then you take a look back on what you could have done better to prepare for it mentally, physically, technically,” he said. “Every big event like this, you should use it and learn from the experience.”
He felt they all gained some knowledge from the NCAA Championships, and they’re all glad the turnaround is quick. This is not the time to overhaul anything about their event, but as usual, the time between meets is used to tweak and make slight adjustments.
Having been in a competitive mode for such a long stretch of time, the weight room will be used to maintain their strength, not try to increase max lifts. It is also a time to make sure the mental part is in line, because even though the Olympic Trials will be at the same venue as the NCAA Championships, the field will be different and the temptation to “fangirl” a bit will be a tug.
Honestly, that part is a bit of the charm.
“It’s cool to be around the energy and it gets me excited about being a professional athlete next year,” Hawkins said. “It’s watching how they compose themselves, but at the same time, there’s a lot of stuff going on, at the end of the day, you have to focus on yourself. I’m not going to watch them throw while I compete. I just have to do what I need to do. To be around the excitement is awesome.”
To be around it with teammates makes it better. To be around teammates while training is a bonus. To be around teammates who will make fun of the way you train, lift and even stretch in the grass is priceless.
Maybe.
“No. Michaela takes a lot of the attention that coach gives, so I’d like some extra coaching,” Morris said. “No, it is fun. I went to USA’s last year, and it’s not the same as the trials, but the same location and a lot of the same people. I had to practice alone for most of it, so comparatively, this is a lot better. Bedard is much better in a group. He can’t just make fun of you.”
There are 18 women qualified in each event. Hawkins goes first, the qualifying round of the discus taking place June. 24, with the finals on June 27. Shot put qualifying begins June 28, with the finals the following day. The fact three of them will be wearing CSU colors is not lost on them. The reason any of them are there, they feel, is all three of them are there. For the past few years, there has been somebody waiting for their turn behind them at practice with the same goals and drive.
It rubs off. It pushes them to throw farther, lift a larger amount, to take the right steps in the circle and outside the ring.
“You’ve got some teammates sharing in the experience, and with that, there’s some comfort level. You get some support, people on your side and see the same uniform out there,” Bedard said. “It does matter. I think it takes some of the stress off. What’s different than the NCAAs is they have nothing to lose. They can go for it. At the NCAAs, there’s more on the line with team results and All-American status. It will be a different mindset, but still a chance to wear the Colorado State uniform and compete with some of the best athletes in the country.”
On this stage, the best they all seek is internal. Where that lands them is to be determined, but to walk away from the Olympic Trials with a personal-best performance is the ultimate goal. It’s a stated goal where they all align.
They all see this as a first step toward a shared destination, one they’ll make together while making fun of each other. It is the way which works best for them.
“It’s all of our first times at the trials. For me, I just want to have some fun,” Hawkins said. “There’s no expectation, only the expectation I have of myself. It’s how well you throw for yourself. I think people are most happy when they reach their personal goals. It helps take the pressure off. You just do what’s in your control. That’s it. Nothing more than that.”
Which is nothing more than the three Rams have done previously on their journey to be included among the nation’s best.