Wilson qualifies for Olympics despite injury

Aarik Wilson predicted last week he was going to Beijing for the Summer Olympics.

He was right.

"As soon as I stepped and looked outside the pit I was 99 percent sure that I was on the team," Wilson said. "I was so focused on trying to make sure I did everything right and not get a foul ... It went so fast that I left the ground, it was over and I was trying to see how far it was."

The 2001 ChurchillCounty High School and 2005 Indiana grad won the triple jump Sunday at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. After failing to qualify for the 2004 Summer Games, Wilson has punched his ticket to China as the country's No. 1 triple jumper.

"I was definitely stressing out and worrying about the competition,"Wilson said Monday. "I trusted my coach and God, and it was meant to be. It worked out."

Wilson qualified for Sunday's finals after placing third in Friday's event. The top 12 jumpers advanced to Sunday, and then the field narrowed to six after the first flight. Wilson almost missed qualifying for the top six.

"I was just trying to hold it together," said Wilson, a two-time state champ in the triple jump at Fallon. "I was so nervous being in fifth place. I saw my coach sweating from a mile away. I was just trying to think of everything he told me and make sure I got to the pit. Make sure I was on the board and get to the pit. That worked out. God carried me."

Wilson saved his best for last.

He won the trials with a leap of 57 feet, 2 1/4 inches " more than six inches ahead of Kenta Bell and Rafeeq Curry, who are also heading for China. Bell jumped 56-6.5 and Curry recorded 56-5.75.

Most of Wilson's family was there watching him and waiting for him at the finish line.

"It was absolutely incredible to have them there,"he said. "We got to finish our victory lap and they were all there at the finish line. It was great. They're the best family in the world."

The last month and a half haven't been kind to Wilson. He has had a stress fracture in the tibia of his left leg since May 28 and did not jump much before last weekend's event. His doctor told him his leg would take six to eight weeks to heal.

"I haven't jumped. I haven't run,"Wilson said. "I ran the day before I left to come here and I ran the day I got here. I was just praying a lot. I was just praying and hoping I could get one together."

Wilson spent the last four years trying to improve after his failed attempt to make the Olympics. A 10-time All-American at Indiana, he finished 14th at the Olympic trials in 2004 with a jump of 52-9.5.

"Four years ago as a jumper I was still pretty immature,"Wilson said. "This year, I had experience competing with these guys."

Now that Wilson has proven he's the best in the country, he is ready to show that he's the best in the world.

"I'm going to go and see the doctor Wednesday and see where I am at healing-wise,"Wilson said. "I'm going to take that back to my coach and we'll come up with a plan and see how to approach this thing."

Wilson leaves Aug. 1 for China and will compete Aug. 18.

"I feel like if I show up and do what I know I can do, I don't have much to worry about,"Wilson said. "For the most part, there are some people that have been injured the past couple of years. I'm sure they're getting ready for the Olympics. I have to be ready for anybody."

Information obtained from U.S. Track and Field Web site