Chasing History: Willard Qualifies for USA Olympic Team
7/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field, Olympics
EUGENE, Ore. -- Former University of Michigan women's track standout Anna Willard (2007) punched her ticket to the Beijing Olympics by winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase Thursday (July 3) at the USATF Olympic Trials at Oregon's Hayward Field. Willard, U-M's 2006-07 Female Athlete of the Year, crossed the line in 9:27.59 to set the American, USA Olympic Trials, and stadium records.
Willard took the lead over the water jump in the fifth lap, passing 2008 NCAA champion Jennifer Barringer of Colorado. Willard easily increased her lead over the remaining 600 meters of the race and broke the previous American record (9:28.75 by Lisa Galaviz in 2007) by more than a full second. Runner-up Lindsey Anderson (9:30.75) and third-place finisher Barringer (9:33.11) joined Willard on Team USA for the inaugural women's Olympic steeplechase competition.
Willard is the first Wolverine on the USA Olympic women's track and field team since 1992, when Penny Neer competed in the discus in Barcelona. The only other U-M woman to make the USA track squad was Francie Kraker, who competed in the 800-meter run in 1968 in Mexico City and in the first women's 1,500-meter run in 1972 in Munich, Germany.
Also in action Thursday was former Wolverine Lindsey Gallo (2002-05), who opened up competition in the 1,500-meter run. Running in the third preliminary heat, Gallo led for most of the race and crossed the line first with a time of 4:17.01, the eighth-fastest prelims time overall. The top six in each of the three heats plus the next six fastest times moved on to Friday's semifinals.
Gallo will continue her Olympic bid in the 1,500-meter run semifinals at 8:25 p.m. PDT Friday. USA Network will provide coverage from 11 p.m.-1 a.m. EDT.
Players Mentioned
