Phoebe Wright, of the USA Blue team, runs during the Penn Relays athletics meet Saturday, April 28, 2012 in Philadelphia. Wright is from Signal Mountain and was a runner at Red Bank High.Phoebe Wright’s plan has worked wonderfully so far. Tonight she’ll try to take it one final step to London.
The former Red Bank High School and University of Tennessee runner from Signal Mountain ran almost exactly the same time in the two preliminary rounds of the women’s 800-meter competition at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. — a second-best 2:00.83 on Friday and a fifth-best 2:00.88 in the semifinals Saturday.
The top six runners Saturday were within three-quarters of a second, from 2:00.25 to 2:01.01. The top three tonight, beginning about 9:50 EDT, will make Team USA for the London Olympics, and Wright believes everyone will be trying to take it up a notch.
“I think it’s going to take 1:58 to make the team,” the 2010 NCAA 800 indoor and outdoor champion said. “This is probably the deepest 800-meter field I’ve ever seen, and it’s going to be really cutthroat for those three spots.”
Wright, 23, has avoided any chance of being tripped up by taking the early lead but said that’s not her “favorite way to run.” She said she’s willing to jump in front early tonight but doesn’t think she’ll have to. She also thinks the push for 1:58 times will work in her favor.