In 1984 and 1988 former athlete and Saluki Hall of Fame member, Elvis Forde, competed in the Olympics in the 400-meter run and 4×400 relay squad.

Also, former SIUC athletes Connie Price Smith, Sally Zack, and Eddie Wedderburn all competed in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Most recently, Darrin Plab, Smith, and Zack competed in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain.

As the 1996 summer Olympic Games draw near, three current Saluki track and field athletes will ready themselves for a chance to compete for the gold medal in Atlanta.

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Cameron Wright, a Saluki high jumper, said getting the chance to go to the Olympics has been a goal of his for a long time.

It’s been a goal I think that every track athlete has and that’s the big thingto make it to the Olympics, Wright said.

In this country you have to go to the trials and be in the top three at the trials to get to the Olympics, so getting to go to the trials was a big step for me, he said.

Wright qualified for the Olympic trials last year at the Semotion Relays during the outdoor season with a jump of 7-4 1/2.

Wright, a veteran of the USA Championships, which is the equivalent to the Olympic trials, has made the trip three times.

I’ve been there three different years, so I know what it’s like, Wright said. The Olympic trials are a little more special because they are for something that is real important, he said.

The senior high jumper gave his opinion on how high he thought the qualifying height for the team will be.

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I think a person is going to have to jump 7-6 1/2 on the day of the trials to make the team, Wright said.

Early in the season, I’ve been having some problems with approaches. It is something to look at seriously, but at this point in the season you can’t get down, he said. If you get down, it’s over and you won’t be any good at all.

The jumping ability is in there, the strength is there and I’m healthy for a change, so I’ve just got to pull it out.

Wright said reaching the 7-6 height is definitely not out of his reach.

My personal record is 7-5 1/4, so that (7-6 1/2) is something I definitely think I can get, he said.

Wright said consistency is the most important aspect of jumping, and explained that when he starts hitting the higher heights is when he starts to get consistent.

He also said that when he starts consistently hitting jumps of 7-4 or higher is when he believes a personal record jump will surface.

Another Olympic hopeful from the Saluki track and field team is shot putter Brian Miller.

Miller, like Wright, is also a product of Marion and is well on his way to making the jump from collegiate competition to world-class competition.

We trained together on the same team for six or seven years now and he’s a good friend, Wright said. It’s nice to see somebody familiar and root for him. We get to travel together and it’s a lot of fun.

According to Wright, high school coaching is a key factor in his and Brian’s development as collegiate athletes.

We were really blessed with good high school coaching at Marion and they do a good job of getting you ready for the collegiate level, Wright said. I would praise my high school coaches a lot for the fact that they are definitely above average high school coaches.

Assistant track and field coach Mike Giesler said sophomore high jumper Neophytos Kalogerou, a native of Lakatamia, Cyprus, has a good chance of making the Cyprus Olympic team.

I think he’d be their number one high jumper if he cleared 7-3 3/4, Giesler said. He’s got a 7-4 or 7-5 jump in him. It’s just a matter of him getting psyched up and getting mentally prepared to do it.

When it comes to dedication, Kalogerou is a prime example according to coach Giesler.

Just to give you an indication, he’s a 4.00 student and the old saying is the busier you are, the more dedicated and better you’re going to be,’ he said. He is very dedicated, he doesn’t party, he doesn’t drink or stay out all night.

Giesler said he believes Kalogerou’s number one goal is to qualify for the Olympic team.

Obviously he’s an intelligent person who is going to do well in life because he is intelligent, Giesler said. Right now, he’s doing everything right that it takes to qualify.

Giesler said he does not think competing in the Olympics was on Kalogerou’s mind when he came to SIUC, but that has changed since joining the team in 1993.

We have a pretty good high jump crew and that has helped him stay motivated. When he first came here, I think he would have been satisfied with going 7-1 or 7-2, but now he realizes he has more in him, Giesler said.