Shay, Engelhardt compete in Olympic Trials
By KATHLEEN O'BRIEN
Associate Sports Editor
As the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney begin, two Domers will share a bittersweet knowledge that they were within striking distance of competing in the Games.
Notre Dame sent two track and field athletes to the U.S. Olympic Trials — senior distance runner Ryan Shay and high jumper Jennifer Engelhardt ('00) — both of who finished among the top 10 in their events. The top three in each event qualified for the Olympics.
Shay entered the Trials with the 14th fastest qualifying time in the 10,000-meter run, a 28 minutes, 26.91 seconds performance at the Mt. SAC Relays in April. He didn't match his personal best time in the Trials with a time of 28:51.74, but placed 10th among all runners.
"I wasn't happy with my race at all," Shay said. "I know I could have run faster. I know this much, the guy who got fourth, I beat him at Mt. SAC, Sean Found."
A couple slow laps in the middle of the race left Shay back in 16th place, but he recovered for a 10th place finish. Although he had hoped to finish higher, he was the first collegiate runner to cross the finish line, and the youngest top 10 finisher. With a year of college eligibility remaining, Shay looks upon his experience at the Trials as preparation for the future.
"It's definitely a stepping stone," Shay said. "The least I got out of it was the experience of being in a highly competitive race with not only the best collegiate runners but the best runners. By the next Olympic Trials, or next Olympic Games, if I keep improving consistently like I have over the next four years, I don't see myself not making the team."
Having the chance to compete with the elite American distance runners let Shay become even more confident about his running ability.
"I don't have them up on a pedestal anymore because I know that they're my competition," Shay said. "I just looked at them like any competition."
The All-American cross country and track runner relished the opportunity to compete at the Trials.
"It was one of the most exciting, most built-up races I've ever participated in," Shay said. "There were a lot of emotions going on, the chances of being able to represent not only Notre Dame, but the U.S., in the Olympic Games, was a big rush for me. It was kind of like a circus atmosphere."
Notre Dame will have to make do without Shay this cross country season, as he recovers from 15 months of intense training.
"Because I've had such a long track season up through mid-July, it's caused me to be a little more fatigued and injury-prone than usual," Shay said. "I think sitting out this season is the best thing for me. If I run, I'm just asking for injury and that's chancing future goals."
By sitting out this year, Shay will be able to return for the 2001 cross country season. He would already be eligible for track next year since he did not compete his freshman season.
After graduating in May, Engelhardt managed to extend her Notre Dame career a little bit with the trip to the Olympic Trials.
"Just having that Notre Dame uniform on for the last time was probably one of the most heartwarming feelings I'll ever have," Engelhardt said. "I was one of the few down there representing my school."
Engelhardt finished in a tie for seventh place with a leap of five feet, 10 3/4 inches, while it took six feet, two inches to qualify. Among collegiate athletes, however, she placed second.
"The top five or six high jumpers are all in their mid-30s," Engelhardt. "The next crop of athletes are coming out of the collegiate level. I was second collegiately, and that was very promising."
Taking on the best Americans in her event was a treat for Engelhardt.
"It was just something I had always been working for. Recognizing that I belonged there was just a really great feeling," Engelhardt said. "It was a tremendous honor to be down there with my idols basically growing up. That's a level I've always wanted to achieve."
Engelhardt came away from the Trials with a sense of what Olympic competition is like.
"The energy was just fantastic," Engelhardt said. "It didn't matter who you were, where you came from. Everybody had a cheering crowd."
While the three-time All-American at Notre Dame fell short of a berth in this year's Olympic Games, she isn't giving up on her Olympic dream just yet.
Engelhardt is staying on at Notre Dame as a volunteer assistant coach while she student teaches and continues to train with field events coach Scott Winsor. Her short-term goal is to compete in the World Championships in two years, followed by the 2004 Olympic Games.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, September 13, 2000
