Ann Arbor’s Anna Willard wins Olympic trials

Ann Arbor’s Anna Willard wins Olympic trials
She broke away with 500 meters to go, right before the water barrier, with fireworks popping in the distance. It seemed an appropriate way to celebrate Anna Willard’s victory in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in the U.S. Olympic trials Thursday night at Hayward Field.


The crowd of 20,000 plus was on its feet when she made the move, and the fans stayed standing when she began pulling away, 10 yards, then 20, leaving Jenny Barringer and Lindsey Anderson trailing behind like ducklings chasing a mother duck.

Just two years ago, Willard moved to Ann Arbor with a dream of competing at the Summer Games in the steeplechase, which makes its Olympics debut next month in Beijing.

She will head to China having attained that and more.

Willard became the new American record-holder in the event when her time of 9:27.59 beat the previous mark (9:28.75) held since last July 28 by Lisa Galaviz.

Willard’s time was also the fastest ever run on U.S. soil.

She will be joined at the Games by Anderson (9:30.75) and Barringer (9:33.11).

Michigan State senior Nicole Bush, who ran near the lead pack for the first half of the race, placed fourth in 9:40.27.

“I didn’t know what I had to run that last lap to get the record,” Willard said. “I was just trying to hold people off. I don’t know how much of a gap I got open.

“It’s amazing – I can’t even comprehend it. Especially four years ago, thinking about where I was. I sucked four years ago. So to see how far I’ve come, it feels really, really good.”

Willard, runner-up at last year’s outdoor championships, knew the competitor to beat was Anderson, whom last month had broken the collegiate record that Willard set in 2007 at Michigan.

“We thought it might take an American record to win tonight,” said Mike McGuire, U-M women’s associate track head coach who also serves the personal coach for Willard. “Jenny (Barringer) went right to the front. It was a faster rhythm than any of those kids were accustomed to.”

Willard’s time at 1,600 meters, according to McGuire’s watch, was 5 minutes. Her previous best at that point in a race before last night had been 5:04.

“That was her strength coming through,” McGuire said of Willard, who colors her hair in funky colors – it’s currently bleached blond with red streaks. “When her race personality comes out, she ferocious.”

Willard came to Michigan at the suggestion of her former coach, Craig Lake, after graduating from Brown University in 2006. She began studying for her master’s degree in sport management at U-M, and was allowed to compete for the Wolverines during the outdoor season that year because she had one season of college eligibility remaining.

She experienced immediate success. A native of Greenwood, Maine, Willard was named the Big Ten Track Athlete of the Year for 2007 after winning titles in the steeplechase, 1,500 and 5,000 meters. She also won the NCAA title in the steeple.

Willard, now a pro, also set a record of sorts for McGuire: She became his first Olympian. McGuire, who has coached in Ann Arbor for 18 years, gave all the credit to Willard.

“She is,” McGuire said Thursday night, “an easy person to coach.”
source-http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080704/SPORTS17/80704007/1048