July 8, 2004
As a high school track standout, Mishael Bertrand ran down the streets of small Pottsboro, Texas (population 1,579). Looking up at the town's water tower, maybe she envisioned "home of Mishael Bertrand" across the city's beacon. It is the dream of every track athlete to run against the world's best athletes in the Olympics.
Four years later, she continued UTA's dominance in the women's 800 meter-run by winning her third straight 800 meter indoor title and captured NCAA all-American honors.
Today, slightly more than six minutes and 29 other women stand between Bertrand and a trip to the birthplace of the Olympics - Athens, Greece - for the Olympiad, Aug. 13-29 when she competes in the 800 meters at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Sacramento, Calif. beginning Friday through Monday.
The opening round is slated for Friday and the semifinals Saturday. The top nine runners advance to Monday's finals with the top three competitors representing the United States in Athens.
"It probably started around the eighth grade," said Bertrand of her Olympic aspirations. "My middle school coach told me I had a talent and I could excel. When I started talking about recruiting trips to colleges I thought 'Wow, I want to do all of that.' I was aware of the 1996 Olympics. In 2000, I was pretty close to qualifying for the Olympics Trials when I ran a 2:05 and the provisional time was 2:04. This year has been somewhat a dream come true watching other."
Breaking the two-minute barrier
Bertrand will eye for Monday's finals by bettering her personal-best time of 2:03.44. "One thing I have learned over the past few years is that the key is to get a good start and try to establish good position early. I've generally always had a kick and hopefully that would keep me in the race the last 100 meters. At this level, you really don't want to hold anything back, you just go for it," she said.
"I ran at the U.S. Open at Stanford University (one of the meets in the Golden Spikes Tour) and Indiana for a Big Red Invitational. Each of those meets had a lot of athletes with Olympic-caliber times. So, I have been pretty pleased with my training. (UTA head track and field coach John Sauerhage) has continued to make out my workouts. I work out well with him and he has been a big motivator. I couldn't have done it without UTA women's team. It is difficult to workout in the heat by yourself; It has been great to have those girls to train with."
"She has been running a 2:04 - 2:05 consistently and competed in an Olympic development race at the Mt. Sac Relays (in Walnut, Calif.) last year and it has got her a little attention," said Sauerhage. "I am hoping that she will have a big break through. She is capable of running 2:00. If we get her in the right race and get her mind right... They will take nine people to finals in the 800 and that would be quite a thrill for her to the get to the finals."
High-priced ticket
The road to Athens has been a lonely one for Bertrand who squeezes her workout routine around a full-time job as an applications developer for JCPenny Company.
"Working 40 hours a week, I try to train each afternoon and on weekends," said Bertrand, an eight-time Southland Conference champion and an NCAA Indoor All-American in the 800 meters in 2000. "My work allows me to work at home some and I have been able to meet (UTA coach John) Sauerhage and run with there team. Running with those girls has been a huge help."
"She has basically been competing on her own," said Sauerhage. "She doesn't run for a club or have sponsorships, so she is really doing this on her own."
Now in her third year of professional competition, Bertrand qualified for the Olympic Trials with a personal-best time of 2:03.44 at the Maine/New Balance Distance Festival last year. She finished 10th at the 2003 USA Championships in Palo Alto, Calif. and ranked 12th in the United States in the 800 meters.
Bertrand's road to Athens comes with a price tag.
"For the most part, I've paid my own way. The cost to go to these meets is expensive. I have been getting some good competition at some big meets. My middle school coach got his students together and they raised $300 to help my expenses. The meet fees aren't expensive, but the logistics of getting to those meets, transportation from the hotel to the track, meals, that can get expensive."
And with a little luck, maybe Pottsboro, Texas will have to take up a collection for a new coat of paint on that water tower.
- utamavs.com -
By Bill Petitt, sports information director
E-mail: wpetitt@uta.edu
