Complex sentence: The Olympics, once a faraway dream, were suddenly within Sanders grasp, but the Olympic trials loomed as a major test, as stiff competition from around the country vied for the few coveted U.S Team spots.
Split into simpler sentences: The Olympics, once a faraway dream, were suddenly within Sanders grasp. But the Olympic trials loomed as a major test, as stiff competition from around the country vied for the few coveted U.S Team spots.