Warrensburg, Mo. (July 24, 2000) -- The fourth time proved to be a charm for Central Missouri State University co-track and field coach Kip Janvrin as he has made the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team that will compete in the 2000 Summer Olympics on Sept. 13-Oct. 1 in Sydney, Australia. Janvrin finished third in the decathlon at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials on Friday, July 21, in Sacramento, Calif., to earn a spot on the national team at age 35.

Competing in the 70th decathlon of his career, Janvrin was in ninth place in the event after the first day of competition with 3,978 points, but made a dramatic second-day surge as he finished with 8,057 points, seven better than the Olympic qualifying standard. To meet that qualifying mark, he had to run the final event, the 1,500 meters, in less than four minutes and 13 seconds; he won the race with a time of 4:12.01.

Janvrin's marks in the other nine events included a third-place finish in the pole vault (16' 4.75") and the 400 meter dash (48.39 seconds) and a fourth-place showing in the javelin (194' 7"). He was also eighth in the discus (138' 9"), 110 meter hurdles (14.88 sec.) and shot put (45' 9"), tied for 10th in the high jump (6' 2.75"), and was 11th in the long jump (22' 8.5") and the 100 meter dash (11.03 sec.).

Janvrin, who has served as co-head coach of CMSU's men's and women's track and field teams for four years following eight seasons as an assistant, had made three previous trips to the trials, finishing as high as fourth in 1996 to just miss earning one of three berths on the U.S. Team. Tom Pappas won this year's event with 8,467 points, while Chris Huffins was second with 8,285.

CMSU also had a pair of former national champions at the trials. Brad Mears placed third in his flight of the shot put (60' 3") to advance to the finals, where he finished 10th (59' 8.5"). Jeff Kremer was 13th in his flight of the discus (177' 5"), but did not advance to the finals.

Complete results from the U.S. Olympic Trials are available at www.flashresults.com. The track and field competition begins Sept. 22 in Sydney.