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Appalachian
Says Goodbye to Mary Jane Harrelson
Brian Stevens
- Staff Writer
Appalachian
State University has not had a female athlete as talented and dedicated
as Mary Jane Harrelson since the early 90Õs. Harrelson, a four-time
all-American has left her prints on AppalachianÕs track program.
Chancellor Borkowski holds Harrelson in the highest esteem, ÒI have
great admiration for her diligence, concentration and practice skills.
She is an outstanding woman of which Appalachian can be very proud.Ó
Harrelson has
many honors to her name. She is only the second athlete at Appalachian
to be named the Southern Conference Female Athlete-of-the-Year.
Competing at the Olympic Trials, she ran personal bests in both
the 1500m and 800m. Harrelson won the 2000 Southern Conference championships
in cross-country and was named to the U.S. World Cross-Country team.
Unfortunately during the 2001 winter track season Harrelson had
to battle an injured ankle, but she was ready for the spring track
season.
Both Kirsten
Bowden and Harrelson qualified from the womenÕs track team to run
in the NCAA championships held May 30 through June 2. The competition
at the national level would be the fiercest Harrelson and Bowden
had seen all year. Bowden qualified in the triple jump for the NCAA
championships. Entered in two events, the 800m and the 1500m, Harrelson
would have two chances at first.
Friday May 30,
Harrelson put all she had into the 800m. The race was quick from
the start with the lead pack completing the first of two laps in
61 seconds. Harrelson held strong to the pack of four women that
had emerged as the leaders in the race. Kamille Bratton, a runner
from Florida, dropped off soon after the first lap making it a three
women race for the gold. Brigita Langerholc, fourth place finisher
for the 800m in the 2000 Olympics, picked the pace up leaving Harrelson
and Svetlana Badrankov to battle for second. Harrelson broke away
from Badrankov in the final stretch and claimed second in the 800m
with a time of 2:03.10.
Bowden also
competed for ASU on Friday. Bowden the best womenÕs triple jumper
Appalachian has finished 21 in a field of extraordinary competition.
Harrelson, who
was the 1999 NCAA champion in the 1500m, failed to repeat this in
2000. Saturday June 1, Harrelson would have a chance to regain her
title. The race began at a slow pace forcing Harrelson to take the
lead. Harrelson hadnÕt planned to jump out in front early but one
girl in the pack had already fallen. With her way now clear, Harrelson
slowly extended her lead lap by lap. It was obvious that Harrelson
had an advantage as she came through at a record pace on her final
lap. No last second heroics were needed for Harrelson to finish
first in 4:14.30. Harrelson not only finished first in the 1500m,
she also ran the fastest NCAA womenÕs track time of the 2001 season.
With her collegiate
career now over, Harrelson plans to coach. With not only Appalachian
records but national records to HarrelsonÕs credit, Appalachian
will miss one of itÕs greatest athletes.
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