Last week, it was Cory McGee. Now, yet another Mississippian has qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.
After finishing third at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, Erica Bougard of Byhalia will be representing Team USA as a member of the country’s heptathlon team. The heptathlon consists of seven events (100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200-meter dash, long jump, javelin, and 800 meters) over two days.
“It still hasn’t sunk completely in. Like, we are Olympians and that’s going to be with us for the rest of our lives,” Bougard said.
Bougard graduated from Byhalia High School before enrolling at Mississippi State (C’15), where she won the 2013 NCAA Indoor Pentathlon Title.
The Tokyo Games, which were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are scheduled to open July 23.