July 3, 2008

SEWARD, Neb. – Concordia University, Nebraska junior Chris Tegtmeier (Fairbury, Neb.) will look to earn a spot on the 2008 United States Olympic Track and Field team when he competes in the 20 km race walk this Saturday, July 5, 2008, in Eugene, Ore..

Tegtmeier, the reigning indoor NAIA race walk national champion, qualified for the trials with a time of 1:34:46.20. Tegtmeier’s time seeds him 12^th in the race of 16 with many of the world’s best.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Chris,” said head coach Dr. Kregg Einspahr. “The atmosphere at the Olympic Trials is like no other track meet in the world.  In some ways there is a sense of more pressure and excitement than even the Olympic Games themselves.”

The meet is being held at the University of Oregon’s fabled Hayward Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. Eugene bills itself as “Track Town USA” and has hosted some of the greatest moments in U.S. track and field history at Hayward Stadium.

For more information on the trials, go to www.usatf.org and follow the Olympic trials link.

Concordia’s athletic teams are members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC). For the fifth consecutive year Concordia led the GPAC in NAIA Scholar-Athletes. The Bulldogs claimed the GPAC All-Sports Trophy in 2002-03 and 2004-05.