Olympic Razorbacks: 12 for 2012

Wallace Spearmon Jr. is getting another shot at Olympic glory, and he has redemption on his mind.

While competing for Arkansas, Wallace Spearmon Jr. won the NCAA Outdoors in 2004 and 2005 and the NCAA Indoors in 2005.

Spearmon, the former Fayetteville High School and University of Arkansas star, will be one of 12 current or former Razorbacks competing in the 2012 London Games that begin Friday and end Aug. 12.

In the 2008 Games in Beijing, he had a thrill-of-victory and agony-of-defeat moment all rolled into one.

Spearmon finished third in the 200 meters in China, earning a bronze medal. But as he was running around the stadium celebrating, officials stopped him and told him he had been disqualified for stepping out of his lane. The second-place finisher was also disqualified.

A former two-time NCAA outdoors champion for Arkansas, Spearmon, 27, will be making his second Olympic appearance after winning the 200 meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 19.89 seconds earlier this month in Eugene, Ore.

“It’s hard enough to make one Olympic team, so it’s special being able to have a second chance at redemption,” Spearmon said in the post-race news conference. “I don’t take my second chances lightly.”

Spearmon will be one of the favorites in London along with Usain Bolt, who’s the world record holder (19.19 seconds), and Yohan Blake, who beat Bolt in the Jamaican trials. Spearmon’s fastest time is 19.65 seconds. Blake’s fastest time is 19.26.

Here’s a quick look at each of the Razorbacks who will be competing in the London Games:

Men

ALISTAIR CRAGG
EVENT 5,000 meters
COUNTRY Ireland
AGE 32
HT/WT 6-0, 134
HOMETOWN Johannesburg, South Africa
COMPETITION DATES First round Aug. 8; finals Aug. 11,
NOTEWORTHY Cragg will be competing in his third Olympics. He’s the Irish record holder at 5,000 meters and 10,000. Set a new Irish and European record in the 5,000 (13.03.53) in September. Two-time Olympic finalist in 5,000, finishing 12th in 2004. Did not finish in 2008.
ON TWITTER @alistaircragg

TYSON GAY
EVENT 100 meters, 4x100 relay
COUNTRY United States
AGE 29
HT/WT 5-10, 170
HOMETOWN Lexington, Ky.
COMPETITION DATES 100 – Round 1 Aug. 4; semifinals Aug. 5; finals Aug. 5. 4x100 relay – Round 1, Aug. 10; finals Aug. 11.
NOTEWORTHY Gay, the American record holder in the 100 (9.69 seconds) is making his second appearance at the Olympics. He finished second at the Olympic Trials.
ON TWITTER @TysonLGay

RAYMOND HIGGS
EVENT Long jump
COUNTRY Bahamas
AGE 21
HT/WT 6-2 (weight not available)
HOMETOWN Freeport, Bahamas
COMPETITION DATES Qualifying Aug. 3; finals Aug. 4
NOTEWORTHY The 2012 SEC Outdoors champion, Higgs is making his first Olympic appearance. He won the Bahamas Championships.
ON TWITTER @DuhRealestOne

MAREK NIIT
EVENT 200 meters
COUNTRY Estonia
AGE 24
HT/WT 6-0, 181 pounds
HOMETOWN Kuressaare, Estonia
COMPETITION DATES First round Aug. 7, semifinals Aug. 8; finals Aug. 9.
NOTEWORTHY The Estonian record holder in the 100 meters (10.19 seconds) and 200 (20.43), he is making his first Olympic appearance. He was the 2006 World Junior champion in the 200.

JEREMY SCOTT
EVENT Pole vault
COUNTRY United States
AGE 31
HT/WT 6-9, 205 pounds
HOMETOWN Norfolk, Neb.
COMPETITION DATES Qualifying round Aug. 8; finals Aug. 10.
NOTEWORTHY This will be Scott’s Olympic debut. Earned the spot by finishing second at the U.S. Trials (18 feet, 4 ½ inches). Silver medalist at the Pan-Am Games in 2011. 2004 SEC outdoor champion and an All-American in his one season at Arkansas. Trains under Earl Bell in Jonesboro.
ON TWITTER @elgrandeUSA

WALLACE SPEARMON JR.
EVENT 200 meters
COUNTRY United States
AGE 27
HT/WT 6-3, 175 pounds
HOMETOWN Fayetteville
COMPETITION DATES First round Aug. 7, semifinals Aug. 8; finals Aug. 9.
NOTEWORTHY Second Olympic appearance. Personal record of 19.65 seconds came in 2005 and is the seventh-fastest ever. Two-time NCAA outdoors champion for the Razorbacks.
ON TWITTER @PrinceSpearmon

SAMUEL VAZQUEZ
EVENT 1,500 meters
COUNTRY Puerto Rico
AGE 28
HT/WT Height not available; 130 pounds
HOMETOWN Palm Coast, Fla.
COMPETITION DATES First round Aug. 3; semifinals Aug. 5; finals Aug. 7.
NOTEWORTHY Ran a personal-best 3:37.60 in June to qualify for his first Olympics. Was a 2004 indoor All-American (DMR) at Arkansas.
ON TWITTER @SamuelAVazquez

Women

VERONICA CAMPBELL-BROWN
EVENTS 100 meters, 200 meters, 4x100 relay
COUNTRY Jamaica
AGE 30
HT/WT 5-3, 134
HOMETOWN Trelawny, Jamaica.
COMPETITION DATES 100 – Preliminaries/Round 1 Aug. 3; semifinals Aug. 4; finals Aug. 4. 200 – First round Aug. 6; semifinals Aug. 7; finals Aug. 8. 4x100 relay – First round Aug. 9; finals Aug. 10.
NOTEWORTHY The two-time defending Olympic champion in the 200, she is making her fourth appearance in the Games. Campbell-Brown is a five-time Olympic medalist and the reigning world champion in the 200.
ON TWITTER @VCampbellBrown

REGINA GEORGE
EVENTS 400 meters, 4x400 relay
COUNTRY Nigeria
AGE 21
HT/WT 5-9 (weight not available)
HOMETOWN Chicago
COMPETITION DATES 400 – qualifying round Aug. 3; semifinals Aug. 4; finals Aug. 5. 4x400 relay – First round Aug. 10; finals Aug. 11.
NOTEWORTHY George, who’ll be a senior at Arkansas, is making her Olympic debut. She won the Nigerian Championships (51.17 seconds) and holds the UA school record (51.11).
ON TWITTER @TheReginaGe0rge

IVANIQUE KEMP
EVENT 100-meter hurdles
COUNTRY Bahamas
AGE 21
HT/WT 5-8 (weight not available)
HOMETOWN New Providence, Bahamas
COMPETITION DATES First round Aug. 6; semifinals Aug. 7; finals Aug. 7.
NOTEWORTHY Making her first Olympic appearance after winning the Bahamas Championships. Also the Bahamian record holder (13.13 seconds).
ON TWITTER @jStPoisOniVy

KERRI-ANN MITCHELL
EVENT 100 meters
COUNTRY Canada
AGE 29
HT/WT 5-5, 123 pounds
HOMETOWN Pickering, Ontario
COMPETITION DATES Preliminaries/Round 1 Aug. 3; semifinals Aug. 4; finals Aug. 4.
NOTEWORTHY Making her first Olympic appearance after finishing third in the Canadian Olympic trials (11.343 seconds). Was a 2004 indoor All-American at Arkansas in the 4x400 relay before transferring to Oklahoma.
ON TWITTER @KAMitchell83

TINA SUTEJ
EVENT Pole vault
COUNTRY Slovenia
AGE 23
HT/WT 5-8, 130
HOMETOWN Ljubljana, Slovenia
COMPETITION DATES Qualifying round Aug. 4; finals Aug. 6.
NOTEWORTHY A native Slovenian, Sutej is making her first Olympic appearance. She’s a two-time NCAA champion and the NCAA record holder (15 feet, 1 ½ inches). As a senior, finished sixth last month at the NCAA Outdoors.
ON TWITTER @VaultingTuna