The next four years will be long for Troy Doris.

The former Hawkeye athlete, who graduated in May, finished eighth in the triple jump at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials on June 30. Doris’ leap of 16.33 meters was more than 1.20 meters short of a trip to London. It was a disappointing performance for the triple jumper, who had high hopes of qualifying for team USA.

"You want to show out in front of everyone and give it your best, but obviously, I didn’t," Doris said. "As much as I would have loved to hit the B qualifying standard and make the team, it just didn’t happen."

The "B qualifying standard" is a provisional mark that an athlete must achieve in order to be eligible to make the national team roster.

Doris’ former Iowa teammate and current roommate high jumper Jeffery Herron also competed at the trials and took 11th in his event. Herron shared in the pain of missing the Olympics but said one must leave all hard feelings on the track in order to move on in life.

"Being disappointed in yourself isn’t going to help you next time," Herron said. "You have got to know that once you walk off the track, that’s the end of it."

Iowa track and field assistant coach Clive Roberts was happy Doris made it to the national stage, but he believed that much was left to be desired when it was all said and done.

"He probably could have been in the top three," Roberts said. "I’m proud of him for making it that far, but he’ll tell you that he probably could have done a little better."

The underwhelming jump trials was the latest in a string of underachieving performances by Doris. The ex-Hawkeye finished fifth at the NCAA championships for the second-straight season last month, even after entering this year’s event as a prohibitive favorite.

"That’s sort of been his M.O.," Roberts said. "But you have to regroup and get ready for the next competition."

But that next competition is unknown at the moment. Doris has been nagged by minor injuries recently, which will force him to take the next month or so off.

"He’s got some aches and pains to take care of, so we’re going to shut it down for the summer," Roberts said. "Then we’re going to try to get him an agent."

Doris’ next step after Iowa will perhaps lie internationally; he plans to head across the Atlantic and begin making a living off of the sport that has gotten him so far in life.

"I’m going to keep training and hopefully go overseas to some meets and make money," Doris said. "I’m trying to make the next World Championship team."

Still, the ultimate goal for the accomplished leaper has no monetary value; a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic team.

Making it to Rio de Janeiro four years from now would a dream come true for Doris, but Roberts remains realistic about his chances of qualifying.

"He’s one of the best kids in the nation and one of the better athletes in the world," Roberts said. "Unfortunately, the American Olympic team is the toughest to make in the world by far, but I trust him."

Doris believes he has what it takes to make it to Brazil. He said that as long as he stays on track with his training and nothing out of the ordinary strikes him, the sky is the limit.

"The only thing that can stop me in my tracks are injuries," Doris said. "As long as I am healthy and can stay healthy, I’m going to keep going for the Olympics."

Doris will continue to work to find the consistency that escaped him this past season in Iowa City and will use last Sunday as a learning experience.

"I guess it just wasn’t my time," he said.

Four years from now, however, it may be.