EUGENE, Ore. – And then there were six.

Casey Malone became the sixth member of the 2008 Olympic Track & Field Team with University of Colorado ties on Sunday afternoon.

Malone earned his spot in the men’s discus by placing third on the final day of the U.S. Track & Field Olympic Trials at Hayward Field.

Malone’s first throw of the day ended up getting him into the Olympics. He recorded a mark of 205 feet, 7 inches (62.67m) and did it again with his fourth throw.  

“My first throw ended up being my farthest throw and I equaled it on another throw, which is rare to throw the same distance twice,” Malone said. “It felt good and it felt rhythmic. It felt patient and honest. It didn’t feel perfect. Knowing that Doug Reynolds was very close behind me and he is capable of throwing pretty far, I didn’t feel safe by any means. I was hoping to get a better throw but it didn’t happen but I’m still really happy with a throw that makes the team.”

Ian Waltz won the event (216-01) and Michael Robertson was second (209-01). Malone beat out Reynolds, who finished fourth, with a mark of 205-06, one inch less than Malone’s best throw.

This will be Malone’s second trip to the Olympics. He also represented the United States at the 2004 Athens Games where he earned a sixth-place finish. He placed third in the trials that year as well. Waltz and Malone were on the 2004 team together and will once again represent the U.S. together.

“To make the team for the second time, it’s incredible,” Malone said. “You learn how difficult it is to make the team after you make it the first time. I’ve gone through the past four years knowing how difficult it is. The number of athletes in the discus with the “A” standard has almost doubled since the last Olympic Trials so it was a very difficult field to overcome. It makes a little bit more special making the team for a second time and overcoming such a difficult field.”

Malone was ranked seventh on the descending order list heading into the U.S. Trials.  

The CU assistant coach has been pulling double duty training and coaching since his arrival at CU in 2000.

“Most of the top discus throwers in the world, that’s their full-time job,” Malone said. “All they do is throw and they are supported by their countries. It doesn’t seem to work like that very often in the U.S. Fortunately I get a lot of support from my colleagues, our athletes and (Colorado head coach) Mark Wetmore. (Wetmore) has been really supportive. He lets me take the time I need to train and to travel to compete.

“This spring was very busy. We hosted the Big 12 Championships, which I was very involved in from an organizational standpoint. That did take a lot of my focus but for the last month I’ve really been able to focus in on my training and do the things I need to do to make this Olympic team.”

Malone, who went to Colorado State, joins four former and one current CU athlete on the Olympic track and field roster. The six ties a CU record for the most track and field athletes competing in the Olympics. In 2000 at Sydney, six former CU athletes competed.

“I couldn’t be more excited (about the CU athletes making the team),” Malone said. “A lot of them are very young and it’s exciting to see what they have accomplished at such an earlier point in their careers, Jenny Barringer especially. She had such a fantastic year and this is such a great way to cap it off. Billy Nelson ran so strong, it was so much fun to watch.”

The Olympics start August 8.

U.S. Track & Field Olympic Trials
Hayward Field (University of Oregon)
Eugene, Ore.
Men’s discus throw (finals): 3. Casey Malone, 205.07

University of Colorado Olympic Qualifiers:
Jenny Barringer – 3,000-meter steeplechase
Kara Goucher – 5,000-meter run/10,000-meter run
Casey Malone – discus throw
Billy Nelson – 3,000-meter steeplechase
Aija Putnina – women’s basketball (Latvia)
Dathan Ritzenhein - marathon
Jorge Torres – 10,000-meter run