One month before the US Olympic Trials, and Morgan Uceny is back?
It would appear so.
The Plymouth native just clocked her fastest time in the 1,500-meter run since May 31, 2012.
It happened at a competition called the Furman Elite in Greenville, SC on Saturday. Uceny beat a loaded field, winning the race by three-100ths of a second in 4 minutes, 3.94 seconds.
Canadian Nicole Sifuentes’ was second in 4:03.97.
The women’s field was so strong that the top eight finishers all broke the Olympic qualifying standard of 4:07.00. Before a runner can be eligible to compete in the Olympics, he or she must first meet a tough qualifying standard in a sanctioned competition.
Uceny has struggled with injuries since 2012, when she ranked No. 1 in the world and competed in the women’s 1,500-meter final at the London Olympics. She hasn’t been much of a factor on the track scene over the last couple years.
But if Saturday’s results are sign of things to come, the 2003 Plymouth High School graduate could again be in the hunt for a spot on this year’s Olympic team.
On her Facebook fan page, Uceny wrote: “This past weekend, I ran my fastest time since 2012. Woot. The Olympic Trials are a month away! Time to sharpen up.”
The US Olympic Trials for track & field run June 30 through July 10 in Eugene, Ore.
Provided by Tim Creason
Video of Uceny’s race from this past Saturday:
