Whitby's Lopes-Schliep third in 100m hurdles
Aug 19, 2008 - 05:25 PM
Brad Kelly
BEIJING -- The underdog was feeling like the top dog here in Beijing.
Priscilla Lopes-Schliep will be bringing Canada’s first track and field medal at the Olympic Games since 1996 home to Whitby in the coming days, after claiming third in a photo finish in the 100m hurdles at the National Stadium on Tuesday night.
In an exciting finish, four of the eight finalists lunged for the finish line at the same time, with second through fifth decided by a photo.
Lopes-Schliep and Sally McLellan of Australia hit the wire in 12.64, with McLellan given the nod for silver, while Damu Cherry of the United States and Delloreen Ennis-London of Jamaica were placed fourth and fifth respectively, stopping the clock in an identical time of 12.65.
The race winner was Dawn Harper of the U.S. in 12.54.
Standing on the track looking up at the scoreboard for the official result made for some agonizing moments for the 25-year-old Lopes-Schliep.
“When they said photo finish, I’m looking up and going ‘Oh my gosh. What’s the result? What’s the result?’ Standing there, it felt like forever.
“When I finally saw my name, and then saw Sally (McLellan) in front of me, we just ran at each other and started screaming because we were the underdogs. Nobody expected anything out of all three of us.”
The race took a strange twist at the very end when Lolo Jones, the favourite who ran the season’s fastest time in the world the other night in 12.43, clipped the last hurdle while leading. The break in the momentum of the American allowed the rest of the field to push past. Jones finished seventh.
“I had no idea what happened during the race,” said Lopes-Schliep. “It went by so quick, it was like a blur.”
The medal was the 13th of the Games for Canada, helping surpass the 12 earned four years ago in Athens. Lopes-Schliep was flattered that her bronze was the one to put Canada over the top.
“I feel like I’ve jumped out of my body, gone to heaven and back,” she said. “I’m very excited. This is a dream that’s become a reality of mine.
“Just to be here and medal for Canada, the first Olympic medal for athletics is such a huge accomplishment. I’m just happy to go home with the bronze medal.”
In Athens four years ago she ran a time of 13.08, failing to get out of the preliminary round. The time in between, and the big meets she attended, helped build her confidence. That, and the fact her husband, Bronsen, and coach Anthony McLeary were in attendance, helped keep her calm and focussed.
Until, of course, the celebration lap that followed the race, as she passed by the sixth hurdle, where the two have been seated for all three races.
“When I ran around the track I was looking around for them and they were just swinging the Canadian flag back and forth. They were just so excited, so happy,” she said of the celebration after the race.
That celebration is just the beginning for Lopes-Schliep, who comes from a big family. Her father, John, is one of six, while her mother, Sharon, is one of 10 children in her family.
The party has just begun, and the numbers of those taking part is about to grow significantly upon her return.
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