London 2012: US Track Star Lolo Jones Qualifies for Olympics in 100 Hurdles

U.S. track and field star Lolo Jones has officially punched her ticket to the London games. She has qualified to compete in the 100-meter hurdles. 

Jones needed to finish in the top three in the event at the U.S. Track and Field Trials in Oregon to advance, and did just that by taking third. 

NBC tweeted out the news.

"

Congrats to @Dharp100mh, @Kelliewellz and @lolojones on qualifying for #London2012 in the 100m hurdles! #Eugene2012 Story to follow …

— NBCOlympics (@NBCOlympics) June 24, 2012"

The U.S. is now loaded in this event. Dawn Harper and Kellie Wells took first and second. Harper is the defending Olympic gold medalist, and Wells is the 2011 U.S. champion. 

Harper finished with a time of 12.73. Wells and Jones posted a time of 12.77 and 12.86, respectively.

Despite her lack of Olympic hardware, and the resumes of the two that finished in front of her, it is Jones that garners most of the attention.

She first came into the American consciousness in the 2008 Beijing Games. She entered the 100 hurdles widely considered the favorite to take the gold and was well on her way to doing just that, but she hit the second-to-last hurdle and finished in seventh.

Jones was devastated. She could be seen pounding the ground over the frustration of narrowly missing out on the glory of the gold.  

Jones, 29, has also gained in celebrity status after appearing on, among other things, HBO's Real Sports. Jones is now set to be one of the big stars of these Games.