University of North Carolina Athletics
Waller Wins, Flanagan Qualifies for Olympics
July 13, 2004 | Track & Field
July 13, 2004
Tisha Waller, former Tar Heel star and kindergarten teacher from Decatur, Ga., and Shalane Flanagan, who just turned professional, qualified for the 2004 United States Olympic Team Monday evening at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Sacramento.
Waller won the women's high jump with a leap of 6'6" and qualified for her second Olympic Games. The 1991 UNC graduate competed in the high jump in Atlanta in the 1996 Summer Games. Four years later she narrowly missed a spot on the U.S. Team when she placed fourth at the Trials. "Tisha was one of our great athletes and she had a great performance," UNC track coach Dennis Craddock said. "She's just such a great young lady and we are very proud of her." Waller was a three-time ACC champion in the high jump, as well as the first Tar Heel woman to medal in an international track and field competition.
Flanagan, a native of Marblehead, Mass., recently announced she was giving up her final year of eligibility in college track to turn professional. The women's 5000-meter run was her first race as a pro. She led for much of the 12 and one-half lap race Monday evening, then held on for the third and final spot on the U.S. Team, finishing with a time of 15:10.52. "Boy did she do it the hard way," Craddock said. "It's unheard of to lead the 5000m like that and hold on at the end, but she and (UNC Assistant Coach Michael Whittlesey) had a good game plan. We are so proud of her, running the race like she did with so many strong veterans. It continues to show that she's a great athlete."
Several other Tar Heels were in action in preliminaries on Monday. In the women's 400-meter dash, Monique Hennagan and Crystal Cox advanced to the semifinals, fininshing first and second, respectively, in their quarterfinal heats. In the women's long jump, Ola Sesay had the top qualifying distance with a jump of 21'9". Marion Jones also advanced, placing seventh with a jump of 20'11.75".
