Four-time all-America Shareese Woods will compete at the US Olympic Trials, June 29. |
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Four-time All-America Woods To Begin Olympic Quest, June 29
June 24, 2008
Charlotte, N.C. - Former four-time all-America Shareese Woods (Fort Lee, Va.) will begin her quest to make the US Olympic Track and Field team when the US Olympic Trials open, June 27-July 7 at the University of Oregon's Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
Woods, who won the US Indoor National Championship in the 400 meters this past winter, will compete in the women's 400 meters. The women's 400 meter quarterfinals will be held Sunday, June 29 at 6:00 p.m. eastern (NBC coverage: 7-8:00 p.m.). The 400 meter semifinals will be Monday, June 30 at 10:10 p.m. (USA Network coverage, 11 p.m. - 1 a.m.) with the 400 meter finals slated for Thursday, July 3 at 11:05 p.m. (USA Network coverage: 11 p.m. - 1 a.m.).
Woods, who qualified with a time of 51.41, is vying for a spot either in the 400 meters or on the 4x400 meter relay team.
Woods became the first 49er to win an individual national championship in February when she won the 400 meter title at the US Indoor National Championships in Boston. She went on to capture a pair of bronze medals at the World Indoor Championships, in March, in the 400 meters and the 4x400 relay.
She hopes to become the first 49ers student-athlete to earn a spot on the US Olympic team. Former men's track athlete Koiyan "Abe" Morlu competed on the 4x100 relay team in the 2000 Olympics for his native Liberia. In addition, UNC Charlotte graduate Calvin Brock competed on the US Olympic boxing team at the 2000 Olympics, but he was not a student-athlete for the 49ers.
Woods earned four NCAA all-America honors during her four-year career with the 49ers -- the most of any Charlotte student-athlete. She was an all-America in the 400 meters at the 2005 NCAA Indoor Championships and in the 200 meters at the 2006 NCAA Outdoor Championships, the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships and the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
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No stranger to international success, Woods won gold in the 4x100 relay at the 2006 North American Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Games, won gold (4x400) and silver (200 meters) at the 2007 NACAC Games and won silver in the 4x100 relay at the 2007 Pan American Games, in addition to her national title in the 400 meters at the 2008 US Indoor Championships and her two bronze medals at the 2008 World Indoor Championships.
