Road to Paris

Current and former Vanderbilt student-athletes will compete for the chance to represent their respective countries at the 2024 Paris Olympics

U.S. Olympic Team Trials – June 21-30
Location: Hayward Field, Eugene, Ore., U.S.
Athletes: Veronica Fraley, Brandee Johnson, Allyria McBride, Giavonna Meeks
Info | Live Results | Broadcast

2024 Bell Track & Field Trials – June 28-20
Location: Sports Complex of Claude-Robillard, Montreal, QC, Canada
Athletes: Brooke Overholt
Info | Live Results | Broadcast

Lithuanian Championships – June 28-30
Location: Palanga, Lithuania
Athletes: Beatrice Juskeviciute
Info

UK Athletics Championships – June 29-30
Location: Manchester Regional Arena, Manchester, England
Athletes: Divine Oladipo, Sarah Omoregie
Info

Time (CT)NameEventCountry
Friday, June 21
1 p.m.Giavonna MeeksHammer Throw (Q)USA
Sunday, June 23
*7 p.m.Giavonna MeeksHammer Throw (F)USA
Monday, June 24
7 p.m. Veronica FraleyDiscus (Q)USA
Thursday, June 27
*6:55 p.m.Veronica FraleyDiscus (F)USA
8:20 p.m.Allyria McBride400m Hurdles (Q)USA
Friday, June 28
11:30 a.m.Brooke Overholt400m Hurdles (Q)Canada
7:28 p.m.Brandee Johnson, Falon Spearman100m Hurdles (Q)USA
9:15 p.m.Veronica FraleyShot Put (Q)USA
Saturday, June 29
7:30 a.m.Beatrice JuskeviciuteHeptathlon 100m HurdlesLithuania
8:15 a.m.Beatrice JuskeviciuteHep. High JumpLithuania
10 a.m.Beatrice JuskeviciuteHep. Shot PutLithuania
10:45 a.m.Beatrice JuskeviciuteHep. 200mLithuania
*3:10 p.m.Brooke Overholt400m Hurdles (SF)Canada
*7:04 p.m.Brandee Johnson, Falon Spearman100m Hurdles (SF)USA
*7:41 p.m.Allyria McBride400m Hurdles (SF)USA
*7:50 p.m.Veronica FraleyShot Put (F)USA
Sunday, June 30
3:15 a.m.Beatrice JuskeviciuteHep. Long JumpLithuania
5:05 a.m.Beatrice JuskeviciuteHep. JavelinLithuania
6:20 a.m.Beatrice JuskeviciuteHep. 800mLithuania
7:42 a.m.Divine OladipoDiscus (F)Great Britain
*9:45 a.m.Brooke Overholt400m Hurdles (F)Canada
9:52 a.m.Divine Oladipo, Sarah OmoregieShot Put (F)Great Britain
*5 p.m.Brandee Johnson, Falon Spearman100m Hurdles (F)USA
*5:29 p.m.Allyria McBride400m Hurdles (F)USA

* Event dependent upon athlete qualification

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – From June 21-30, Vanderbilt track and field had seven current and former student-athletes competed in national competitions in the United States, Canada, Lithuania and the United Kingdom. The week was highlighted by a qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics by Veronica Fraley, three national titles and three additional medals.

Giavonna Meeks kicked off competition Vanderbilt’s Olympic hopefuls at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Because she redshirted during the outdoor season, this was the first time this year Meeks would be competing in the hammer throw for Vanderbilt. During the qualifying round, she registered a 63.76-meter throw to place 17th among the field and break the school record she set during the 2023 season.

On Monday, Fraley competed in the qualifying round of the discus where she placed third overall to advance to Thursday’s final. Her top throw landed at the 62.85-meter mark.

Fraley retuned to the discus ring Thursday for the event final and finished third to qualify for the United States’ Olympic team.

The Raleigh, North Carolina, native moved into second place in the finals in the third round when she recorded her best mark of the night with a 62.54 meter throw, as she would go on the finish third among the 12 competitors who advanced out of the first round Monday. Four of her six throws in the finals surpassed the 60-meter mark.

Currently ranked 22nd in the world in the discus, Fraley will add to her international résumé having already represented the United States at the World Championships on two occasions as well as at the 2023 Pan American Games.

Teammate Allyria McBride also competed at the trials on Thursday, advancing out of the first round of the 400-meter hurdles after finishing with a time of 56.96 seconds. The rising junior from Marietta, Georgia, placed fourth in her heat and was 18th overall in a field of 34 individuals. During the semifinals, she clocked 57.37 seconds to place 22nd overall.

Vanderbilt alumna and 2023 NCAA runner-up in the heptathlon Beatrice Juskeviciute won the 100-meter hurdles at the Lithuanian Championships with a time of 12.95 seconds. Over the next two days, she compiled 6,136 points in the heptathlon competition to win the event for the second consecutive year.

Fraley was back on the field for the qualifying round of the shot put where she came in 14th with a top throw of 17.47 meters.

2023 World Championship qualifier Brooke Overholt advanced for the 400-meter hurdles final at the 2024 Bell Track & Field Trials with the second-fastest time of the afternoon, 59.03 second. She would go on to earn a silver medal in the event with a finals time of 57.64 seconds.

On Sunday at the UK Championships, 2022 first-team All-American Divine Oladipo won her first national title in the discus, recording a top throw of 54.78 meters. She also earned a bronze medal in the shot put with a throw of 17.24 meters, which is a season best. Also in the shot put, fellow Commodore and 2024 first-team All-American Sarah Omoregie placed sixth with a 16.03-meter mark.

The opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics is July 26. Women’s discus qualifications are August 2, and the final is August 5. Fans can follow Vanderbilt track and field on X/Twitter and Instagram at @VandyXCTrack.

Veronica Fraley – MS’23

Country: USA
Events: discus (67.17m / 220-5), shot put (18.29m / 60-0.25)
• NCAA discus champion
• Two worlds teams
• Team USA for the Pan American Games
• Two-time SEC champion
• Two additional SEC medals
• Two school records
• Four-time All-American, one first-team selection

Brandee Johnson – Staff

Country: USA
Event: 100m Hurdles (13.08 seconds, +0.7 m/s)
• Two-time All-American
• 2018 NCAA bronze medalist as a member of the 4×400-meter relay
• 2018 SEC 400mH bronze medalist
• 2017 SEC silver medalist as a member of the 4×400-meter relay
• 2017 USATF Junior Outdoor Championships 400mH champion, 100mH bronze medalist
• 2017 Pan American U20 400mH champion

Beatrice Juskeviciute – MA’23

Country: Lithuania
Event: heptathlon (6,192 points)
• Lithuanian record holder – 100mH (12.87)
• 2023 NCAA heptathlon runner-up
• 2023 SEC heptathlon champion
• Three-time Lithuanian national champion
• Five-time All-American, three first-team selections

Allyria McBride – Sophomore

Country: USA
Event: 400m Hurdles (56.05 seconds)
• Second-team All-American
• Pan American U20 400mH bronze medalist
• USATF U20 400mH runner-up
• Two-time SEC bronze medalist
• Four school records

Giavonna Meeks – Redshirt Freshman

Country: USA
Event: hammer throw (66.09m / 216-10)
• Pan American U20 hammer throw champion
• USATF U20 hammer throw champion
• First-team All-American
• NCAA regional qualifier as a true freshman
• SEC freshman record holder, weight throw
• SEC Indoor Freshman Field Athlete of the Year

Divine Oladipo – MEd’22

Country: Great Britain
Event: discus (58.01m / 190-4), shot put (17.97m / 58-11.5)
• Seven-time All-American, one first-team selection
• Fifth in the shot put at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
• 2022 SEC runner-up in the indoor and outdoor shot put
• 2021 B1G discus bronze medalist
• Two-time AAC champion in the indoor shot put

Sarah Omoregie – MSF’24

Country: Great Britain
Event: shot put (176.79m / 58-4.5)
• Two-time All-American, one first-team selection
• 2024 SEC indoor shot put bronze medalist
• 2023 indoor and outdoor Ivy League shot put champion
• 2023 East Region runner-up in the shot put
• 2020, ’22 Ivy League runner-up in the shot put

Brooke Overholt – MEd’23

Country: Canada
Event: 400m Hurdles (55.50 seconds)
• Two-time All-American, one first-team selection
• Scored in the 400mH at the 2023 SEC Outdoor Championships
• 2023 SEC bronze medalist as a member of the 4×400-meter relay
• Two-time Ivy League champion
• Set two program records, registered eight program all-time top 10 marks at Vanderbilt