EUGENE, Ore. ? Indiana State track & field student-athlete Erica Moore competed with the best athletes in the United States on Friday evening when she competed in the women's 400 meter hurdles event at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
The sophomore from Sullivan, Ind., qualified for the trials in the 400 meter hurdles by running a school-record mark of 57.03 seconds in the prelims at the 2008 NCAA Mideast Regional. Moore, a two-time NCAA Championship qualifier, three-time Missouri Valley Conference champion and six time all-MVC team selection, took her chances on Friday against the best in the country.
Moore competed in the first of four quarterfinal heats in Eugene on Friday evening and ran a time of 59.70 seconds to place seventh overall in the heat. After each of the four heats were completed, Moore placed 22nd overall and missed out on qualifying for the semifinals Saturday afternoon.
“This was an absolutely amazing experience,” said Moore. “I wish that I had come in a bit more prepared for the meet, but running against the best athletes in the country will make it difficult for any runner. I have learned a lot from watching the athletes here at the meet and from running against them, so I hope that I will be able to use that experience and get back here someday to compete again.”
“The most difficult part of all of this is the length of the collegiate season,” said ISU women's head coach John Gartland. “It was extremely hard for Erica to maintain her peak for such a long time and she just ran out of steam here at the end a bit. She is a tremendous athlete and with some more experience, she will be able to be back here again. I told her that there are about eight million people who would want to compete in the Olympic trials and for her to be able to do it as a sophomore is a tremendous accomplishment. I am very proud of the way she competed and I look forward to seeing her do amazing things on the track over the next two seasons.”
Hopefully, Moore will not be the only current Sycamore competing at the trials as teammate Kylie Hutson is waiting to be selected for the women's pole vault competition. Hutson's school and Missouri Valley Conference record height of 14'01.25” is above the provisional mark to compete at the trials, however she will have to wait until approximately 48 hours before the qualifying round on Thursday, July 3, to find out if she has been selected for the field.
In addition, two former Sycamore all-Americans will be competing at the trials in hopes of making the U.S. Olympic team. Distance runner Jordan Fife will take to the track in the semifinals of the men's 3,000 meter steeplechase on Thursday, July 3, and former NCAA Champion Aubrey Herring will take his shot in the men's 110 meter hurdles in the qualifying round on Saturday, July 5.
