Princeton University Athletics
Photo by: Beverly Schaefer
Tokyo Olympics Preview: Women’s Track & Field
July 21, 2021 | Women's Track and Field
PRINCETON, N.J. – Princeton University women's track & field alumnae Julia Ratcliffe '17 and Lizzie Bird '17 are set to compete in Tokyo at the Olympic Games.
Both women will begin competition on Saturday, July 31. Ratcliffe, who is representing New Zealand, will compete in the qualification round of the hammer throw at 8:10 p.m. Representing Great Britain, Bird will compete in the first round of the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 8:40 p.m.
Should Ratcliffe advance to the finals of the hammer throw, they will commence at 7:35 a.m. on Tuesday, August 3. The final of the steeplechase takes place on Wednesday, August 4, at 7 a.m.
The 2014 NCAA Champion in the hammer throw, Ratcliffe was a four-time All-America honoree at Princeton along with a gold medalist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She was the NCAA National Runner-Up in 2015, the Outdoor Heps Most Outstanding Field performer four times, the Penn Relays Hammer Throw Champion four times, the Ivy League League hammer throw champion four times, the Ivy League weight throw champion twice, and the USTFCCCA Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2014. Her mark of 70.28 meters from the Larry Ellis Meet in 2014 stands as the school record in the hammer throw.
Bird, the British record holder in the steeplechase, was an NCAA Honorable Mention All-America honoree in the steeplechase in 2015 and was a four-time NCAA Regional qualifier in the event. She was a two-time Ivy League champion in the steeplechase and part of the 4x800 team that won a conference title in 2017. Bird was also a NCAA Cross Country participant in 2015 and 2013 along with being an Ivy League Cross Country Champion in 2015. She currently holds the indoor school record in the mile along with top-five times in the steeplechase, the 3,000, the 4x800, the 4x1,5000 and a top-10 time in the 1,500.
A full schedule and broadcast links for NBCOlympics.com in the U.S. are available here.
Both women will begin competition on Saturday, July 31. Ratcliffe, who is representing New Zealand, will compete in the qualification round of the hammer throw at 8:10 p.m. Representing Great Britain, Bird will compete in the first round of the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 8:40 p.m.
Should Ratcliffe advance to the finals of the hammer throw, they will commence at 7:35 a.m. on Tuesday, August 3. The final of the steeplechase takes place on Wednesday, August 4, at 7 a.m.
The 2014 NCAA Champion in the hammer throw, Ratcliffe was a four-time All-America honoree at Princeton along with a gold medalist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. She was the NCAA National Runner-Up in 2015, the Outdoor Heps Most Outstanding Field performer four times, the Penn Relays Hammer Throw Champion four times, the Ivy League League hammer throw champion four times, the Ivy League weight throw champion twice, and the USTFCCCA Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2014. Her mark of 70.28 meters from the Larry Ellis Meet in 2014 stands as the school record in the hammer throw.
Bird, the British record holder in the steeplechase, was an NCAA Honorable Mention All-America honoree in the steeplechase in 2015 and was a four-time NCAA Regional qualifier in the event. She was a two-time Ivy League champion in the steeplechase and part of the 4x800 team that won a conference title in 2017. Bird was also a NCAA Cross Country participant in 2015 and 2013 along with being an Ivy League Cross Country Champion in 2015. She currently holds the indoor school record in the mile along with top-five times in the steeplechase, the 3,000, the 4x800, the 4x1,5000 and a top-10 time in the 1,500.
A full schedule and broadcast links for NBCOlympics.com in the U.S. are available here.
Tuesday, June 04
Tuesday, May 09
Wednesday, June 22
Monday, June 06