2008 Woodie Awards
Brown and DeShazier edged out in Olympic trials, Bishop tries in discus
Josh McCarty
Issue date: 7/9/08 Section: Sports
Dreams for a 2008 Olympic bid fell short for two Cougars, as SIUE junior Deserea Brown and 2007 SIUE graduate Alicia DeShasier both failed to qualify for the United States Olympic team June 27 through 29 during the Olympic trials in Eugene, Org.
While the 2008 Olympics will not be in their future, both came through with strong showings against the nation's top athletes.
Brown advanced to the semi-finals of the qualification process, and finished 16th overall in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 59.66 seconds.
To make it to the trials, Brown ran the 400 hurdles in 56.82, shaving two seconds off of her previous personal best of 58.78.
Head track and field coach David Astrauskas said progression like that does not come easy.
"She showed remarkable work ethic throughout the entire year," Astrauskas said. "That's why she showed such big improvements."
Brown has already had a memorable 2008 season, She has earned two National Championships and being named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Athlete of the Year, All-American in multiple events.
"She is a special young lady all around," said SIUE?assistant track and field coach Ben Beyers. "The athletics is just a part of the whole person. It's a reflection of her whole identity. She is such a hard worker and a great talented young lady.
Brown is still hoping to represent Team U.S.A in the U.S. versus the Caribbean Islands event held later this month.
Like Brown, DeShasier also fared well,e finishing fifth overall in the javelin throw, two spots behind the top three qualifiers. For DeShasier, making it to the 2008 Olympics would have been an added bonus to her overall plan.
"Her main goal all along has been 2012," Astrauskas said. "If you look back on the 2004 results, she has shown improvements."
While the 2008 Olympic push is over for two Cougars, another will still be attempting to represent the United States.
SIUE freshman Brian Bishop is in Bydgoszcz, Poland for the 2008 International Association of Athletics Federations World Junior Championships. Bishop will attempt to qualify for the U.S.A. National team in the discus throw.
Bishop earned first-team All-GLVC honors and advanced to the National Championship in the discus throw this season for SIUE. He finished second at the GLVC championships in the discus with a throw of 54.34 meters.
To qualify, Bishop will need to finish in the top two of the field. The qualifying round began on Tuesday, with the finals set to take place Wednesday.
While the 2008 Olympics will not be in their future, both came through with strong showings against the nation's top athletes.
Brown advanced to the semi-finals of the qualification process, and finished 16th overall in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 59.66 seconds.
To make it to the trials, Brown ran the 400 hurdles in 56.82, shaving two seconds off of her previous personal best of 58.78.
Head track and field coach David Astrauskas said progression like that does not come easy.
"She showed remarkable work ethic throughout the entire year," Astrauskas said. "That's why she showed such big improvements."
Brown has already had a memorable 2008 season, She has earned two National Championships and being named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Athlete of the Year, All-American in multiple events.
"She is a special young lady all around," said SIUE?assistant track and field coach Ben Beyers. "The athletics is just a part of the whole person. It's a reflection of her whole identity. She is such a hard worker and a great talented young lady.
Brown is still hoping to represent Team U.S.A in the U.S. versus the Caribbean Islands event held later this month.
Like Brown, DeShasier also fared well,e finishing fifth overall in the javelin throw, two spots behind the top three qualifiers. For DeShasier, making it to the 2008 Olympics would have been an added bonus to her overall plan.
"Her main goal all along has been 2012," Astrauskas said. "If you look back on the 2004 results, she has shown improvements."
While the 2008 Olympic push is over for two Cougars, another will still be attempting to represent the United States.
SIUE freshman Brian Bishop is in Bydgoszcz, Poland for the 2008 International Association of Athletics Federations World Junior Championships. Bishop will attempt to qualify for the U.S.A. National team in the discus throw.
Bishop earned first-team All-GLVC honors and advanced to the National Championship in the discus throw this season for SIUE. He finished second at the GLVC championships in the discus with a throw of 54.34 meters.
To qualify, Bishop will need to finish in the top two of the field. The qualifying round began on Tuesday, with the finals set to take place Wednesday.
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