SBU alum Lucy Van Dalen advances to 1500 meter semifinals for New Zealand
LUCY VAN DALEN
New Zealand
Six-time All-American at Stony Brook and winner of 2012 NCAA indoor mile, from Wanganui, New Zealand. Will compete in the 1,500 beginning Aug. 6.
Credit: AP
LONDON -- Lucy Van Dalen has achieved her first Olympic goal -- reaching the semifinals of the women's 1,500 meters.
The Stony Brook alum and NCAA indoor mile champion, running for New Zealand, did it with a 4-minute, 7.04-second eighth-place finish in her morning qualifying race.
Twenty-four runners out of three sections -- led by Abeba Aregawi of Ethiopia in 4:04.55 -- advanced to Wednesday night's semifinals.
But she knows full well that advancing out of the semis and into the Friday final will be a whole lot tougher.
"Oh, it's just amazing, this whole Olympic experience," she said.
"When I stepped onto that track for the first time, I really tried to take in that moment. It was so awesome, hearing my family and friends calling my name.
"I'm having such a blast.
"Eighty thousand people in the stands for morning qualifying races, that's just crazy.
"My Stony Brook degree's in child and family studies, and sociology, but right now, I just want to focus on track and field, I want to live in the moment."
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