Lela V. Nelson, Chirs Helwick, Chris Boyles and Eric Dudley are all competing in the U.S. Olmypic Trials

June 26, 2008

WINSTON-SALEM - Four members of the Wake Forest track & field staff will compete in the U.S. Track & Field Olympic Trials this weekend in Eugene, Ore.

Demon Deacon volunteer assistant coaches Chris Boyles, Chris Helwick, Lela Nelson and academic tutor Eric Dudley are all vying for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team for this summer's Beijing Olympic Games.

Boyles and Helwick will both compete in the men's decathlon, which is scheduled for Sunday and Monday, June 29 and 30.

Helwick, a seven-time All-American at the University of Tennessee, has eclipsed the Olympic "A" standard and enters the competition with the eighth-best total of 8,017.

While a top-three finish and a spot on the Olympic team is the ultimate goal, Helwick has a slightly different outlook for this weekend.

"I've thought a lot about this meet and if I go out there and have consistent high-performances across the board, I'll be happy. If that means making the Olympic team or finishing tenth, I'm fine with that," said Helwick. I've competed against just about all of the other competitors and a couple of my good friends will also be competing so it should be a comfortable environment for everyone."

Boyles, who finished third at the 2008 USA Indoor Combined Events Championships, enters the competition 15th, with a mark of 7,804. Boyles has only reached the Olympic "B" standard and will likely have to win the Olympic Trials to earn a spot on the Olympic team.

"Chris Boyles brings a lot of experience into the meet, placing fifth and sixth in the last two U.S. Championships, but he is getting a little older and it will be fun to see how he battles the younger guys," said Wake Forest head men's track coach Scott Hall.

Earlier this year, Nelson was the champion in the U.S. vs. Germany Combined Events dual meet in Manhattan, Kansas and had the top performance in the women's long jump at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games. Her mark of 6.50 meters surpassed Olympic Long Jump champion Carolina Kluft of Sweden by 10 centimeters.

"Lela has a legitimate chance to possibly make the team in two events which would be great for her," said Hall. "She just needs to have a consistent performance in the heptathlon, then she gets a days rest before the long jump trials, so she has a good opportunity."

The women's heptathlon is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, June 27 and 28 while the long jump trial is set for Monday, June 30.

Dudley will compete in the men's 400 hurdle trials on Friday evening, June 27. He enters the event with a personal-best mark of 49.48, which pits him 18th in the field.

"Eris knows this is a particularly strong event for the U.S. and that it will be difficult to qualify but to make a final would be very good for him," said Hall. "Eric had a break through year and he is from the Pacific Northwest, so he is really looking forward to compete up there."

"Overall, it's great for Wake Forest to be represented at an event like this," said Hall. "For our athletes to get an opportunity to train with and learn from elite athletes like these four, is a wonderful experience and will ultimately give them the confidence that they can also compete at that level."

The trials will begin Friday, June 27, and will conclude with finals on Sunday, July 6. For results and a full list of competitors, go to www.usatf.org.