Virginia Tech’s banner year in athletics isn’t quite over. Tech star hurdler Queen Harrison
became the second Hokie athlete in school history to qualify for the Olympics.
She’ll compete for the United States in the 400-meter hurdles after finishing in
second place in the Olympic Trials on Sunday.
Harrison, who wasn’t able to participate in the
NCAA National Championships
because of a hamstring injury, still isn’t quite 100% healthy. She qualified for
the finals, though her times of 57.16 (10th) and 56.04 (6th) were not
nearly as impressive as what she did in the finals.
In the finals, she set a school record with a time of 54.60, breaking her own
record of 54.69 that she set at NCAA Regionals back in May.
She had to overcome even more than her hamstring injury in the finals.
Latosha Wallace tripped over a hurdle and fell into Harrison’s lane, and
Harrison had to jump over not only the upcoming hurdle, but Wallace as well.
However, she cleared both the runner and hurdle, and went on to finish in second
place.
Harrison is the first female athlete at Virginia Tech to participate in the
Olympics, and just the second overall. Bimbo Coles was a member of the 1988
men’s basketball Olympic Team.
Harrison was also scheduled to participate in the 100-meter hurdle prelims, but
she will withdraw from that event to make sure her hamstring injury doesn’t
become a problem.
Two former Virginia Tech women’s basketball players will also participate in
the Olympics for their respective nations. Ieva Kublina will represent Latvia,
and Nare Diawara will play for Mali.
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