University of Minnesota Athletics
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Wilkinson Qualifies for Team USA Olympic Team
6/23/2024 9:41:00 PM | Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field, M Club
Wilkinson took second at the US Olympic Trials on Sunday night in the steeplechase.
Though Wilkinson owns the roster spot with Team USA, he has not yet officially qualified for the 2024 Olympic games in Paris. According to official Olympic qualifying procedures, an athlete who doesn't meet the Olympic qualification standard could still make the cut if they are high enough in World Athletics' world rankings. The full U.S. Olympic track and field delegation is not scheduled to be set until July 7.
A total of 36 athletes will qualify for the Olympics in the steeplechase, with Wilkinson's world ranking sitting at No. 36, as of June 18. Wilkinson's top eligible time of 8:16.59 is just shy of the Olympic standard (8:15.00).
In the preliminary round, Wilkinson was the top qualifier to the US Olympic Trials final with a winning time of 8:20.61 out of heat one. Fellow Gopher Alec Basten also was a qualifier out of the first heat, but Basten was a time qualifier at 8:26.82. In the final Basten, a two-time Big Ten steeplechase champion, finished 14th in a time of 8:44.81."Am I dreaming?! Someone come wake me up!"
— Minnesota Cross Country, Track & Field (@GopherCCTF) June 24, 2024
- Matthew Wilkinson (2021-23) after qualifying for @TeamUSA's Olympic team in the 3000m steeplechase pic.twitter.com/pCub2LiswH
After a successful Division III career at Carleton College in Northfield, Minn., Wilkinson transferred to the University of Minnesota where he went on to become a two-time Big Ten champion. Wilkinson was the Big Ten's Track Athlete of the Championships in 2023 after winning the 3000m steeplechase and the 5000m for the Maroon and Gold. He went on to finish fifth at the 2023 NCAA Championships, and sixth at the USATF Championships in the steeplechase. He left the 'U' with the No. 2 time in program history in the steeplechase (8:23.69) and the No. 2 time in the 5000m (13:35.45).
The incredible finish at the @usatf Olympic Trials by our favorite Minnesota native 🥹 #TrackFieldTrials24
— Minnesota Cross Country, Track & Field (@GopherCCTF) June 24, 2024
pic.twitter.com/U2YBsLToIz
D3➡️D1➡️Olympics‼️
— CITIUS MAG (@CitiusMag) June 24, 2024
Matthew Wilkinson's great 2024 reaches a crescendo with a runner-up finish at the Olympic Trials in 8:23.00! Wilkinson doesn't have the automatic qualifying standard but is also inside the World Rankings quota.
The Minnesota native makes his first U.S. team… pic.twitter.com/K7mx4DFPgX
FROM GREENWOOD, MINNESOTA TO PARIS! 🇺🇸
— Minnesota Cross Country, Track & Field (@GopherCCTF) June 24, 2024
Matthew Wilkinson has qualified for the @TeamUSA Olympic team by finishing second at the @usatf Olympic Trials in a time of 8:23.00!! #TrackFieldTrials24 pic.twitter.com/MAH25gL96r
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