hough sports at all levels are currently on a hiatus of uncertain duration due to the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, there is one major international event that remains on the schedule: The Summer Olympic Games. As of March 18, the International Olympic Committee and the Local Organizing Committee are insisting that the Games, scheduled for July 24 to August 9 in Tokyo, Japan, will not be postponed or cancelled. 

Earnie Sears — High Jump

His best mark is less than two inches from the best mark recorded by an American last year (7-7 by Shelby McEwen of Alabama). Two other Pac-12 high jumpers can be mentioned as contenders as well: Justice Summerset, an Arizona senior, and Sean Lee, a UCLA sophomore. Summerset brings a best of 7-4½ into the season while Lee recorded a best of 7-3 in his freshman year.

Isaiah Jewett — 800 Meters

The 800 is a loaded event for the U.S., with Donavan Brazier topping the world list in 2019 and two more athletes—Bryce Hoppel and Clayton Murphy—also cracking the Top 10 world list. That puts Jewett in the long shot category to make the team. But upsets happen frequently at the Trials, and Jewett’s steady improvement has been impressive. 

Jewett won the Pac-12 800 and placed fifth at the U.S. Championships. His best time of 1:46.11 was only tied for 10th-best in 2019 national rankings, but miracles happen occasionally—can you say “Andrew Wheating?”

Jordan Geist — Shot Put

Geist was a beast at the Pac-12s last season. His winning throw of 69-2 eclipsed the second place mark by nearly three feet. And that wasn’t even his best throw of the season—Geist’s 70-10 was the sixth-best mark among U.S. throwers. 

Any underclassman who surpasses 70 feet is going to get plenty of attention—Geist and Payton Otterdahl of North Dakota State both accomplished that in 2019. While definitely a star of the future, Geist’s chances to make the Olympic team this year are not great; keep an eye on him nevertheless.

Elijah Mason — Discus Throw

The discus competition at the 2019 Pac-12 meet was close and intense. Freshman Mason won it on his last throw—his 189-6 was nine inches better than UCLA’s Dotun Ogundeji’s mark and the top four were separated by just three feet. Mason’s PR of 198-11 is a few feet short of the 2019 U.S. Top 10 list, but given his youth and the poise he showed at Pac-12s, one has to at least give him longshot-status.

Brock Eager — Hammer Throw

Pac-12 hammer champ Eager had the 10th-best mark in the U.S. in 2019 at 235-11. That puts him about 15-feet, 20-inches short of the top hammer throwers in the U.S., so, like Mason and Geist, his Olympic dreams may be more suited to 2024 or 2028 than this year.

Cameron Samuel — 400 Hurdles

Samuel’s winning time of 49.09 at the Pac-12s, along with his sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, were enough to squeeze him into Track & Field News‘ Top 10 list of hurdlers for last season in 10th place. He probably needs more seasoning to survive the pressure-cooker atmosphere of the Trials, but the potential is clearly there.