Parkway Grad Sarah Haskins Makes Olympic Bid Friday in San Diego

There will be a lot of people crossing their fingers and toes and sending up prayers for hometown girl Sarah Haskins Friday as she participates in the Olympic Trials in San Diego to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic team for the 2012 Games in London this summer where she would compete in the triathlon.

Haskins, is a world-class triathlete who is making a bid to return to the Olympics. She participated in the Beijing Games four years ago.

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The Olympic triathlon consists of a 1.5-mile swim in open water and a 40-kilometer bike race followed by a 10-kilometer run.

Haskins, who is a graduate of and was a top swimmer there, has been in fine form in recent weeks as she has won two major triathlons, competing against many of the same athletes she will face today in San Diego.

She won the St. Anthony's Triathlon last weekend for the fourth year in a row, beating the course record by 50 seconds. Haskins also won the Nautica South Beach Triathlon Apr. 1 in Miami. Sarah's father and mother, Brian and Becky Haskins, were on hand for the St. Petersburg race and are in San Diego this weekend. Brian said Sarah's training has been right on schedule, all leading up to today's Olympic Trials.

All of the races and the training this year have been done with the goal of competing in Friday's Olympic Trials, Sarah said, adding that her recent successes have been helpful in providing her with the positive reinforcement of knowing she's healthy, fit and ready to race. A trip to London as part of Team USA is in the balance.

back in January when she was home for a few weeks as she visited with the firefighters at the and the grade school kids at . She was well-received in both venues.

She will be in more familiar venues Friday as she makes an open water swim, a bike course and the final run for the tape. The race starts at 4 p.m. St. Louis time and Patch will have an update on the results. So, send some good thoughts to the West Coast. Sarah Haskins has worked hard to get to the position she finds herself in today and could use the well wishes from home.