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Former MSU track star Leah O'Connor signs with Adidas

June 26, 2015
<p>Senior Leah O'Connor takes the lead in the women's 1,500 meter preliminary race at the Big Ten Conference Championships May 16 at Ralph Young Field. Photo: Wyatt Giangrande</p>

Senior Leah O'Connor takes the lead in the women's 1,500 meter preliminary race at the Big Ten Conference Championships May 16 at Ralph Young Field. Photo: Wyatt Giangrande

Photo by Wyatt Giangrande | The State News

Former MSU track and cross country runner Leah O’Connor announced her post-collegiate running plans Thursday evening after advancing to the finals of the women’s 3,000 steeplechase at the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore.

But after running her last ever race in an MSU uniform, the announcement didn’t come exactly how she pictured it.

“They put me as an Adidas athlete in the results … I was gonna do a whole picture thing tomorrow but I guess it’s not a secret,” O’Connor told reporters after the race. “I am so pumped to be running for Adidas. I’m so excited about this company and I know that they’re really focused on helping develop me into being the best runner that I can be.”

In addition to this, O’Connor -- the national champion in the 2014 NCAA women’s outdoor 3,000 meter steeplechase and 2015 NCAA indoor mile -- announced her plans to stay in East Lansing to continue to train under MSU Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Walt Drenth until after the 2016 Olympics in Rio pass.

Up next for O’Connor, she’ll compete in an Adidas uniform in the USATF Outdoor Championship 3,000 meter steeplechase final on Saturday, where she’ll be looking to earn a spot on Team USA at the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China on August 22-30. The top three runners from the race on Saturday will advance.

“It’s been an amazing five years. I’m super happy and I think anyone who follows me on any sort of social media platform knows how passionate I am about Michigan State,” O’Connor said. “It’s just been an amazing journey and the perfect school for me and I will always love MSU and the people there.”

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