Rexburg woman continues quest for Olympic gold Thursday morning — with her family in attendance

Saint-Denis, France — Rexburg autochthonal Chari Hawkins and her chap heptathlon competitors will return halfway shape astatine Stade de France connected Thursday. But nan Hawkins family will not beryllium holding a watch statement successful Idaho because they will beryllium location successful personification rooting connected nan 2022 National Indoor Champion.

Hawkins, a postgraduate of Madison High School and Utah State University, will compete successful her first Olympics. She vanished 12th successful nan 2023 World Championships, past qualified for nan Olympics by finishing 2nd astatine nan U.S. Olympic Trials successful June.

Her father, Bill Hawkins, a longtime hoops coach astatine Rigby and Madison precocious schools, said that astir of nan Hawkins family arrived successful Paris early Monday morning, pinch much owed to get Tuesday. He said that nan full family excited to beryllium portion of nan Olympic experience, and guidelines for Chari.

“We’re each truthful excited, it’s each really cool,” he told EastIdahoNews.com complete nan telephone from his edifice room successful Paris.

The heptathlon is simply a seven-skill way event. The Olympic title originates astatine 2:05 a.m. successful Idaho — 10:05 a.m. successful Paris — pinch nan 100 metre hurdles. The precocious jump, changeable put and 200 metre sprint will travel Thursday, pinch nan agelong jump, javelin and 800 metre title to reason nan arena Friday.

Competitors will beryllium rewarded points based connected their decorativeness successful each event. Chari achieved a individual champion people of 6,456 points during nan U.S. Olympic trials. That full would person placed her 6th astatine nan 2021 Tokyo games.

Bill told EastIdahoNews.com that his girl has been training pinch nan U.S. squad coaches, but that her individual coach besides arrived this week.

Seeing Chari hole for sports’ biggest shape and to compete against nan very champion her athletics has been astonishing for nan Hawkins family. And being there, seeing truthful galore group enjoying truthful galore sporting events, is “pretty cool to beryllium a portion of,” Bill said.

Since they are there, nan Hawkins family is looking guardant to taking successful much than conscionable nan heptathlon. They scheme to watching nan U.S. women’s indoor volleyball squad return connected Poland successful nan quarterfinals Tuesday. There is 1 summons Bill said he is hoping to score, but is not overly optimistic.

“Boy, I’d for illustration to spell spot that USA men’s hoops team. Of course, who doesn’t want to,” he said.

There has besides been chat amongst nan family of taking successful immoderate of nan much niche sports, for illustration badminton.

But, connected Thursday, nan entirety of nan Rexburg family’s attraction will beryllium connected Chari and her quest for an Olympic medal.