LCSC’s Szybura to run in steeplechase at national meet

05-21-08

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.  – Lewis-Clark State College sophomore Lindsay Szybura looks to continue her remarkable season when she competes in the 3,000-meter steeplechase Thursday night at the 2008 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships at Southern Illinois University. 

Szybura is one several LCSC cross country runners who are participating in track this spring. Although cross country runners regularly did this in the past, this year marks the first year that women’s track is recognized as an official sport at LCSC. 

Szybura is LCSC’s lone qualifier for the national meet, but what makes her story so compelling is that she hasn’t run the steeplechase before this season and has competed in only four races. She enters the steeplechase finals with the 19th fastest time this year in the NAIA. 

The trials will consist of two heats and the top 18 times from the heat will advance to Saturday’s finals. 

LCSC coach Mike Collins says Szybura has posted a faster time in each race this season and thinks she will do well in the trials. 

“She has that long, lean body that is built for hurdles,” Collins says. “I think she has a chance to do very well in this event.” 

Szybura was a hurdler at Orting High School in Washington and says that experience has helped her in the steeplechase. Szybura ran track in high school, but only competed one year in cross country. Last fall, she was regularly one of the top five runners for the Warrior cross country team.