June 28, 2005

Six former members of the University of North Carolina track and field program qualified for the World Championships to lead a strong UNC contingent at the USA Outdoor National Championships this past weekend in Carson, Calif. Shalane Flanagan and Allen Johnson were event winners, triumphing in the women's 5000 meters and men's 110-meter hurdles, respectively.

Flanagan, a two-time cross country national champion at UNC, took the 5000 in 15 minutes, 10.96 seconds. Johnson, a four-time world champion and the gold medalist at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, won his seventh U.S. Outdoor title in 12.99.

Four other Tar Heels qualified to represent the United States at the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. Blake Russell was second in the 10,000-meter run in 31:35.25. LaTasha Colander, the defending champion in the 100 and a 2000 gold medalist in the 4x400-meter relay, was third in the 200 in 22.34. Alice Schmidt, a two-time NCAA champion in the 800, was third in the event in 2:02.09. Monique Hennagan was also a qualifier, earning a place on the 4x4 relay.

Several other Tar Heels had great performances at the meet. Sheena Gordon, a recent outdoor All-America, was seventh in the high jump (5-10 3/4) and 10th in the triple jump (43-3). NCAA champion Adam Shunk was eighth in the high jump after clearing 7-1 1/2. Recent graduate Erin Donohue was 10th in the 1500 in 4:15.53, and Cassie King was 10th in the steeplechase in 10:21.57. Defending U.S. shot put champion Laura Gerraughty, who was unable to defend her title due to injury, was 15th in the discus (173-8).

Carolina also boasts a member of the U.S. Junior National Team that will travel to Junior Worlds. Jocelyn White was second in the women's discus with a throw of 172-4. Nyoka Norman also competed in the junior meet, taking sixth in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:01.82.

The World Championships will take place August 6-14.