EUGENE, Ore. -- You got big hands, Angela Washington told her daughter, Whitney Ashley. Hold this thing.The thing was a discus. The year was 2006. Washington knew nothing about track and field, but the coach at John W. North High School in Riverside, California, needed an extra parent to help keep the kids busy. Ashley, then a junior, liked the shot put and basketball. But the team had no one to throw the discus at meets, so Washington forced Ashley to pick it up. For her first few seasons, Ashley didnt even spin when she threw it.We learned it together, Washington said Saturday, after Ashley, 27, won the discus at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials with a toss of 204 feet, 2 inches, earning a spot on the U.S. team that will compete in Rio.Holding her daughters medal in her hands for the first time, Washington dissolved into tears, overwhelmed by the past 10 years of struggle and doubt.Ashley focused on the shot put through junior college, then became serious about the discus at San Diego State. After winning the NCAA title in discus in 2012, Ashley graduated and was invited to train with legendary throwing coach Art Venegas. She strained her groin before the 2013 World Championships and finished dead last. In 2014, she added about 20 pounds to gain strength, but felt slow, got injured again and finished fifth at the U.S. championships. The following year, Ashley made the national team, but finished ninth at the world championships.I just didnt see a future in it, Ashley said Saturday. I thought I would go to grad school and work toward becoming an athletic director.But it all came together by this years trials. With Ashleys long arms (shes about 5-foot-9, short for her sport) and speed across the ring helping her consistently beat all U.S. competition, she won trials by more than 6 feet.She sacrificed. She never gave up when it got hard, Washington said, crying. She stepped back a little bit and she dug in. My babys not a quitter.The night before the final at Hayward Field, Ashley couldnt sleep. She tried listening to music or watching television, but her mind kept replaying all her past meets, good and bad. She ate breakfast, then promptly threw it back up.Its a grueling process, it really is. Because four years comes down to two days, Ashley said.Now, she has another two-day challenge in Rio. Her goal is to make the final. Ashleys personal best of 212 feet, 7 inches is well behind the worlds top throwers, but if she reaches a personal best at the Olympics, she could get into the top five or maybe even on the medal stand.Its been four years of hard work and dedication, Ashley said. I know its cliché, but blood, sweat and tears. A lot of tears have hit my pillow at night. I was just so uncertain of the future. For it to come together, its so rewarding. It really is. Custom Miami Marlins Nike Jerseys .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend. Custom San Francisco Giants Nike Jerseys . Hamelin, who triumphed in the 500 on Saturday, edged out Victor An of Russia by 0.021 seconds to maintain his lead in the World Cup standings. Russias Vladimir Grigorev was third. In the relay, Canada took control six laps from the finish line to beat Russia and the Netherlands. https://www.custombaseballnikejerseys.com/?tag=custom-pittsburgh-pirates-nike-jerseys . Michell Burger, a woman who lives on an estate next to Pistorius gated community, said she and her husband were awoken by the screams in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14 last year, when Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp by shooting four times through a door in his bathroom. Custom Kansas City Royals Nike Jerseys . After the whistle, Thornton skated the length of the ice, pulled Orpik to the ice from behind and punched him in the face several times. Custom Texas Rangers Nike Jerseys . James, who turned 29 on Monday, injured his groin Friday during the Heats overtime loss at Sacramento. He sat out the following game, a 108-107 win Saturday in Portland, before coming back to help send the Nuggets to their seventh consecutive loss. NORMAL, Ill. -- Paris Lee scored 24 points, including four 3-pointers, to lead Illinois State to an 81-72 win over Saint Josephs on Sunday.Deontae Hawkins added 21 points to go with eight rebounds, MiKyle McIntosh had 14 points and Phil Fayne 10 for Illinois State (6-3), which remains undefeated on its home court this season. Lee shot 8 for 11 from the field, hitting 4 of 6 from long range, and sank all four free throw attempts.Illinois State led 41-27 at the break but hhad to hold off a Saint Josephs surge in the second half that twice cut the deficit to five.dddddddddddd The Redbirds responded with a 9-2 spurt that included 3-pointers from Hawkins and Lee to stretch the advantage to 57-45 with 8:47 left and hung on from there.Shavar Newkirk led Saint Josephs (5-5) with 21 points and Charlie Brown added 14. ' ' '