By Mat Mikesell  |  BSU at the Games

Five members of Team USA Canoe/Kayak completed the long task of qualifying for the 2012 Olympic Team this past weekend.

Caroline Queen powers through the rapids during the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in April. Photo courtesy: Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez

Of those who qualified, slalom kayakers Caroline Queen and Scott Parsons both made the Olympic roster.

Queen qualified after finishing 35th with a second run time of 120.96, beating out teammate Ashley Nee for the roster spot. This will be her first trip to the Olympic Games.

“It’s kind of hard to believe at this point,” Queen said in a news release. “The selection process is so long. This morning I woke up and couldn’t believe it was here. And now that it’s done, I can’t believe that that’s all she wrote. But it is. It’s pretty incredible, and I’m really glad that I’m with my family to share the moment, along with my teammates and coaches and staff and everybody.”

Parsons qualified for his third consecutive Olympic Games when he placed 11th in men’s kayak.

“It’s a relief. Honestly, it’s hard to describe,” Parsons said in a news release. “The process has been physically and mentally exhausting. So at the moment, I’m not sure that the excitement is really going to kick in until a little later when I’m a little more rested and really have time to digest the reality of the situation. But I’m very, very excited. I’m really happy.”

Among the others who qualified to represent the U.S. next month are Eric Hurd, Jeff Larimer and Casey Eichfeld, along with sprint kayakers Carrie Johnson and Tim Hornsby.

Men’s Kayak: Scott Parsons

Women’s Kayak: Caroline Queen

Men’s Sprint Kayak: Tim Hornsby

Women’s Sprint Kayak: Carrie Johnson

Men’s Single Canoes: Casey Eichfeld

Men’s Double Canoes: Eric Hurd and Jeff Larimer

Check out Mat’s previous story on Caroline Queen: Queen aims for USA Kayak crown.

Mat Mikesell is a senior journalism major at Ball State University covering badminton, canoeing and sailing for BSU at the Games. Follow Mat and the BSU team at@MatMikesell, @bsuatthegames and www.facebook.com/bsuatthegames.