By Jeff Benjamin/Special to the Advance
DES MOINES, Iowa -- She went for it, came very close and fell short.
Ward Hill resident Olga Kosichenko made the decision to take her 800 meters USA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships qualifying heat Thursday night by the scruff of the neck as she bolted out of lane one and then speeded through the first lap in the lead, clocking a blistering 27 seconds for the first 200 meters and then 58.79 at the bell on the Drake University Track.
But Kosichenko’s gutsy effort then exacted a price as the New Balance Central Park Track Club runner fell back to fifth place with a finishing time of 2:04.19.
With the top three finishers guaranteed a spot in the upcoming semifinals, Kosichenko watched and hoped that her time would subsequently fall into the next four fastest times from all four races to move on. Kosichenko missed the time qualifier by just two spots.
“It is what it is,” said Kosichenko, who also said after the race that she’ll keep training and racing into the 2020 Olympic year. “I don’t have the experience that the other runners have here at this level, and I feel I have more than a 2:04 in me...this is a great experience for me.”
“I’m glad I went for it!”