Cherokee graduate Abby Gilmore, a senior at Olivet Nazarene, ran a lifetime-best 2:15.22 split to help the Tigers reach the finals of the 3,200-meter relay at the NAIA Track Championships.
Gilmore ran the third leg for Olivet Nazarene, which ran 9:12.80 in Wednesday’s trials, the second-fastest time going into Thursday’s final.
Gilmore earned All-America honors indoors when Olivet Nazarene placed sixth at the indoor NAIA Championships in Yankton, S.D., with a time of 9:32.45.
In Wednesday’s trials, Lindsey DiazDeLeon, Mady Rogers and Rachel Shepard also ran for the Tigers, Shepard anchoring in 2:17.20.
The 4-by-8 final is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. on Thursday at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium in Gulf Shores, Ala.
The top seed is Dordt University of Sioux Center, Iowa, which ran 9:09.52 on Wednesday. Olivet Nazarene will be in lane 6 for the final and Dordt in lane 4.
Gilmore is one of those remarkable stories that track and field presents us with once in a while.
Her 800 PR at Cheroke was 2:33.94, which she hit when she placed 35th at the 2017 South Jersey Group 4 sectionals at Egg Harbor.
Tonight, she tries to lead her college to a national title!
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 