OLYMPIC Notebook

It was a busy day for area athletes Thursday as an archer struck gold, a past gold medalist lept to compete another day, and the U.S. men’s field hockey team ended competition with its dubious streak intact.

Archer Justin Huish never trailed in his men’s individual gold medal match, defeating Sweden’s Magnus Petersson, 112-107. In doing so, the 21-year-old Simi Valley resident became the fifth American to win an individual archery gold meal since 1972.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee of Canoga Park, who dropped out of the heptathlon due to a hamstring injury, kept her gold-medal hopes alive with a qualifying jump of 21 feet 11 inches to reach today’s long jump final.

Unfortunately for the men’s field hockey team, it will have to wait another four years for its next chance to get its first Olympic victory.

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SOME OF THE AREA ATHLETES COMPETING TODAY:

Dave Stephens, CSUN, javelin

Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Canoga Park, long-jump

Jim Parque, La Crescenta, baseball

Jeff Weaver, Simi Valley, baseball