EUGENE, Ore. Running shoulder-to-shoulder with veterans, Courtney Frerichs gave another example of how far she has come in a short time.
The Nixa, Mo. native placed second in the opening heat of the Women's 3,000-meter Steeplechase preliminaries at Hayward Field, guarenteeing a spot in Thursday's final and a shot at the 2016 Olympics.
Frerichs, the reigning NCAA Champion and record holder in the event, turned in a time of 9.40.48, less than a second of first-place finisher Bridget Franek. She led for the bulk of the final lap before Franek pulled ahead on the home stretch.
Joining them in the final is fellow Missourian Colleen Quigley, who won multiple state track championships at Nerinx Hall in St. Louis. Frerichs did not have an all-state finish through cross country or track at Nixa, but now stands one race shy of a spot on the U.S. Olympic team.
Franek, who competed in the 2012 Olympic Games, finished with a time of 9.39.93.
Frerichs will race in the 8-person final heat at 9:48 p.m. CT on Thursday.
She just completed her first season at New Mexico after running for four years at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
"It's an incredible feeling," she said las month. "I've been wanting to be a professional athlete and make the Olympic team since I was a child."
"There's so much to look forward to this year so no matter what happens, it's a really good learning experience. It will really help me for 2020 because I do believe that is my best chance of not only making the team, but doing well once I'm there because I'll be at my peak age for training."
