MSU runner falls short in chase for Olympic bid

Nicole Bush finished seven seconds short of a trip to Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games. Now, the MSU senior distance runner will have to wait four more years for another chance to represent her country.

Despite outrunning 20 other Olympic hopefuls and finishing second among collegiate athletes at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Bush couldn’t crack Team USA’s roster.

She finished in fourth place among the 24 competitors at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field on Thursday, but only the top three finishers qualified for the games.

Although Bush didn’t qualify, she set a personal best, 9 minutes 40.27 seconds, in the finals on the mile and three-quarter, obstacle-laden track.

“I’m satisfied with the race for now,” Bush said. “I ran into a personal record and at the end of the day that’s a really cool thing.”

Bush qualified for the finals by outracing 11 other runners in the semifinals.

“Winning the prelim was nice for my mind-set,” she said. “It gave me confidence to run with the lead pack in the finals.”

The field at the trials was loaded with professional athletes, but Bush said she wasn’t discouraged. In fact, she said the pressure would spark her to run faster.

“Running against pros doesn’t put me out of my comfort zone,” she said. “I hadn’t really been in a race where I was able to compete with someone the whole time.

“I knew the top two girls were going to run fast, and I expected to (set a personal record) as long as I stayed committed to the race.”

Bush redshirted during the 2008 outdoor track and field season to focus on the upcoming trials. She said being a student puts her at a disadvantage, because most professional runners don’t have to cope with the stresses associated with college life.

“I know what it’s like to run, have classes and do other things,” she said. “But I knew it was important to redshirt and have one central focus.”

Rita Arndt-Molis, assistant coach of the MSU track and field team, said she’s thrilled at how much Bush has accomplished since the Wyoming, Mich., native arrived on campus.

“It’s always exciting when you see athletes making competitive gains and really immerse themselves in the competition,” she said. “Nicole was willing to take chances and she’s carried a great attitude all year.”

Arndt-Molis credits Bush for sustaining a healthy lifestyle and staying ambitious despite being so busy.

“Nicole lives a rigorous lifestyle,” she said. “She has taken her training very seriously and honed her skills.”

Hayward Field featured an audience of more than 20,000 spectators each day. As cross country season approaches, Bush said she’ll try to build off the experience of competing at one of the country’s largest stages.

“Smaller meets are going to be much easier to manage,” she said. “Adding experience like this leads to more confidence and I’m psyched for cross country to start.”

Published on Tuesday, July 8, 2008