ALLENDALE, Mich. — Erika Beistle needed at least 62.54 meters on her final discus throw of the U.S. Track & Field Olympic Trials to tie Vanderbilt's Veronica Fraley.
Anything further would send Beistle to the Olympics for the first time.
She threw a 62.50.
"I don't think our expectation was, oh my God, are we gonna make top three," Beistle said. "It was just, let's try and make finals and see what happens there. And you know, that's what we did."
Beistle's throw was not enough to send her to Paris, but enough for a personal and school record.
"When I first started at Grand Valley, that was the goal...but to go and do it at the Olympic trials on the biggest stage in track and field, that was such an amazing moment."
The GVSU athlete placed behind 2020 Olympic gold medalist Valerie Allman, former University of Lousiville thrower Jayden Ulrich and just behind Vanderbilt's Veronica Fraley.
Including the top three, Beistle was the youngest competitor in the field.
" I wasn't really thinking about it too much, you know, I compete alongside all those women all season long," Beistle said. "I was just trusting my training, trusting my coach and I got nothing else to lose, so let's just make it happen."
While the U.S. Olympic Team Trials may be the biggest stage of Beistle's career, she is far from a stranger to the bright lights.
Beistle is a three-time national champion with the Lakers, winning titles in both indoor and outdoor shot puts.
"I'm just grateful to have the success that I've had," Beistle said reflecting on her career.
"I put a lot of time and effort into this, and I know I still have so much more to give and so much further to go."
She has two years of indoor eligibility and one more of indoor action. Despite competing on her biggest stage so far, she won't be setting any expectations for the future.
"We're not really putting any limits on what I can do at this point."
"We're going to train really hard and we're going to compete really hard and see what happens."
Beistle plans to look into competing at the U23 championships which could open another avenue towards representing the red, white and blue.
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