Athletes With Philly-Area Ties Run & Throw for Gold at Rio Olympics Track & Field

Track and field often gives us some of the lasting memories from any Olympics, this year in Rio a group of athletes with ties to the Philadelphia area will be trying to make golden memories.

On the Olympic track, stars like sprinter English Gardner will participate in the Women’s 100-meter dash. The Willingboro, New Jersey native is ready to complete her comeback after tearing her knee in three places and placing as an alternate in the 2012 London Olympics.

"When you ask people who the fastest woman is, they don’t really know what to say. So for me that is why I am here, because women in track and field have done phenomenal things but are flying underneath the radar," said Gardner. "I want to change that. Redemption year is here and I’m excited." [[389087412, C]]

Philadelphia’s own two-time USA Indoor Champion, Ajee' Wilson, is set to compete for gold in the 800-meter dash. The Temple Alum typically finishes the course in a little over 2 minutes.

Jeff Porter and Nia Ali will compete in the 110- and 100-meter hurdles. Two-time Olympian Porter placed third at the Olympic trials finishing in just over 13 seconds. Ali, who just had a son in 2014, cemented herself as one of the top hurdle competitors finishing the event at the Olympic trials in just under 13 seconds.

Dunellen, New Jersey’s Sydney McLaughlin is breaking records for the 400-meter hurdles. McLaughlin is the youngest American to complete in track since 1972. She set the junior world record in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2016 Olympic Trials.

Also, keep an eye out for Philadelphia's Taylor Ellis-Watson in the 400 meters.

In long distance events, new-comers Robby Andrews and Marielle Hall are set to compete in the 1,500 meter and 10,000-meter runs.

On the field, we can expect big things from Penn State shot putters Joe Kovacs and Darrell Hill. Bethlehem native Kovacs weighs in at 295 pounds and is favored to win after achieving a No. 1 world ranking.

"As part of my training, I use gymnastics for general body awareness and elasticity. I practice doing front and back handsprings, as well as giants over the high bar," Kovacs said.

Darby, Pennsylvania native Hill weighs in at 320 and placed fourth at the 2015 Pan American Games.

Daughter of Former Eagles quarterback Randall Cunningham, 18-year-old Vashti Cunningham, became the youngest woman to win a world title in high jump and qualified to compete for gold at the Rio Olympics. [[388401891, C]]