By Nathan Call
BYU All-American Kassi Andersen placed second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2004 U.S. Summer Olympic Track and Field Trials last week in Sacramento, Calif., despite suffering a grade two or possibly a grade three ankle sprain.
The steeplechase has five barriers: four hurdles and one water jump. Andersen said it was on the water jump that she landed wrong on her right foot.
“On my last water jump, I landed wrong on my foot and twisted my ankle, and I fell over,” she said. “I felt it hurt a bit, but I got up and I just kept going because I was almost to the finish.”
The water jump was the fourth barrier in the race, meaning Andersen would have to jump one more hurdle before finishing the race.
“There was another jump after the water jump, and I didn”t think I could jump it,” she said. “There was no way I could jump it, but I did. I just finished. Then the pain really kicked in.”
BYU women”s track coach Craig Poole said when Andersen finished, her ankle swelled up like a baseball and they had to carry her off the track.
“She showed a lot of character to get up and finish and still finish strong,” BYU women”s assistant track coach Dick Legas said. “Not too many people even knew that Andersen was hurt. People started noticing that she was in pain when she crossed the finish line and was crying, asking for help.”
Although Andersen continued with the race and finished in third place, a disqualification moved her up to second place.
Two other present and past BYU All-Americans placed in the top eight in the steeplechase event. Former BYU athlete Elizabeth Jackson took fourth place with a time of 9:52.11, and All-American Lisa Antonelli-Pratt took eighth place with a time of 10:15.11.
Even though Andersen, Jackson and Antonelli-Pratt were competing in the Summer Olympic Trials, they will not be going to Athens, Greece, next month for the Olympics. The steeplechase is not an Olympic event this year, but will be for the first time in 2008.
“I was just happy to finish,” Andersen said. “I”m glad I got second place, and that was exciting.”
Robison qualifies for 1,500-meter finals
Three-time All-American Nathan Robison qualified for the 1,500-meter finals on Sunday at the 2004 U.S. Summer Olympic Track and Field Trials with a seventh-place overall finish during the semifinals on Friday.
Robison took first place in the first heat with a time of 3:43.84. Michael Stember, the winner of the second heat, posted the fastest time in the event with a time of 3:39.74.
The 1,500-meter finals took place after The Daily Universe”s press time on Sunday.
Myles-Mills to represent native Ghana
Former BYU All-American Leonard Myles-Mills found out last week he will represent his native country Ghana at the Summer Olympics in Athens next month in the 100 meters.
Myles-Mills finished ninth overall in the event at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.
Myles-Mills also learned that he will reunite with members of the 2000 Ghana 4×400-meter relay team in Cologne, Germany, this week to compete in several European meets before the Olympics to try and improve their world ranking.
Myles-Mills currently serves as the sprint coach for the BYU track and field team.
