BLACKSBURG - Former Virginia Tech field athlete Marcel Lomnicky threw the hammer a distance of 247 feet, 7 inches (75.46 meters) at the Slovakian National Track and Field Championships to qualify for the 2012 Olympic games in London.

Lomnicky defeated Slovakian national record holder and three-time Olympic qualifier Libor Charfreitag to take the title.

In his final competition for the Hokies, Lomnicky claimed the national title in the weight throw at the 2012 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, becoming a two-time national champion in the process. He won the hammer throw national title in 2009 at the NCAA's outdoor meet, while finishing third in 2010 and second in 2011. Lomnicky finished his career as a six-time All-American. He holds Tech’s hammer throw record with a distance of 248 feet, 10 inches (75.84 meters).

Lomnicky will compete in the London Olympic Games August 3-12.