Olympic Hopefuls Training at Port of Stockton

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Olympic Hopefuls Training at Port of Stockton
Written by Tim Daly, Reporter

Olympic Hopefuls Training at Port of Stockton: Tim Daly's Report; 6 p.m.

Olympic hopeful high jumper Amy Acuff trains at Prt of Stockton facility



STOCKTON, CA - If America does well at this summer's Olympic Games, the Port of Stockton might be listed as a contributor to that success.

Nearly two dozen track and field athletes are training at what was an empty warehouse at the Port. Nearly all are American, but the countries of Canada, Nigeria and South Korea are represented as well.

Among the athletes is America's top female high jumper Amy Acuff. "This is really ideal, with high ceilings. We have everything we need to train in here," she said.

Acuff's husband is pole vaulter Tye Harvey, from Sonora. "When a pole vaulter drives by any building, he wonders if he can pole vault there. I saw these buildings and got real excited," said Harvey.

They're training for the Olympic trials, to be held in Eugene, Oregon in July. The Summer Olympics take place in China in August.

The athletes had been training in a barn on Twitchell Island in the Delta. But when the land the barn sat on was put up for sale, the athletes needed new space. They learned about available space at the Port and set up shop.