Brown satisfied with Trials performance

Posted on July 13, 2016

Stephanie Brown will continue to run professionally. (Photo courtesy University of Arkansas)

By Zach Zook

She ran in the 1500-meter final at the Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore., placing 10th with a time of 4:11.13. Although she didn’t finish in the top three and qualify for the Olympic team, Brown still remains optimistic about the future.

“I think I competed well,” she said. “Yeah, it didn’t end the way I wanted it to, but I think it’s going to be a good building block for the next Olympic Trials.”

Before making it to the finals, Brown had to navigate her way through two preliminary races to even earn a spot in the finals. Although she expected to make it to the final race, with so many talented runners in the 12-woman field, even the smallest error could ruin her chances.

“You’re really stressed during those two rounds just to make it, so by the finals you’re pretty happy to be there and just excited to compete finally,” she added. “The first two rounds are actually more stressful than the finals, I think for everybody.”

Brown, who lives in Big Bear Lake (Calif.), is currently in her second professional season after graduating from the University of Arkansas and is sponsored by Nike. She will continue running professionally, working to hone her craft for the eventual 2020 Olympic Trials.

Zach Zook can be reached at [email protected]

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