By Andy Johnston
Staff Writer
Article dated May 19,1996

Aiken's Charlie Simpkins, the silver medalist in the triple jump at the 1992 Olympics, is hoping to make the Olympic team again.

Simpkins, 32, moved from Murfreesboro, Tenn., to Knoxville, Tenn., last September and has been training and working with a club called Track South. He participated in the Reebok Invitational in Atlanta on Saturday.

``Training has been going great,'' he said. ``We've finally gotten some warm weather, so we've been able to get out and work hard here lately.''

Like other jumpers, Simpkins hasn't participated in many meets this spring, instead focusing his training on technique and building strength. He hopes to be ``good enough to qualify'' for the Olympics at the U.S. Track and Field Trials on June 14-23, but still be able to improve before the Olympics begin on July 19.

He has to finish among the top three at the trials to earn a berth on the team. Simpkins' toughest competition figures to come from Mike Conley, who won gold in '92 with the then-world record jump of 59 feet, 7 inches. Conley had a top jump of 56-4 last year.

Simpkins jumped 57-9 at Barcelona and appears to be completely recovered from a torn right patella tendon suffered last May.

``I'm going to have my hands full,'' he said. ``Everybody has been hibernating this year, so I don't know what anybody's jumping. All I can do is to continue working and improving. I've got to be ready for the trials. I've got to finish in the top three.''