REXBURG — A Rexburg female athlete and Madison High School graduate placed second at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Oregon, and qualified for the Paris Olympics.
Chari Hawkins placed second in the heptathlon heats and will represent her country in France next month. The heptathlon consists of seven events: the 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m sprint, long jump, javelin and 800m run.
Hawkins, a former Utah State University track and field athlete, recorded a personal best in the event at the trials, according to KSL.com. Her score of 6,456 points was second only to Anna Hall (6,614), who won silver at last year's world championships, and ahead of Taliyah Brooks (6,408), according to KTVB.
According to past reporting from EastIdahoNews.com, Hawkins has elite athletic ability in his genes.
Her grandfather, Kent Geisler, was a professional pitcher who made it to Class A with the Salinas Packers in 1957 and then played for the California Angels' minor league affiliate before injuries ended his career, and her father, Bill Hawkins, was a long-time basketball coach at Rigby and Madison high schools.
Chari will continue her family's tradition in sport when the women's Olympic heptathlon event begins on the morning of August 8.
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