Chatttanooga distance runner Phoebe Wright has a chance to go to the World Track and Field Championships in Berlin after she sped past some former Olympic medalists to finish third in the US Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., on Sunday.
Her mother, Chattanooga attorney Lucy Wright, said she spoke with her just after the race that was televised on NBC and she said, "I think I'm going to Berlin."
Wright apparently will have to run a time of 2:00 before she can race in the world championships. The IAAF has two entry standards, A & B. Each team can have only one runner who has only met the B standard. Geena Gall has only met the B standard and she would be able to run as the only U.S. B standard runner in the race.
Wright, who was unnoticed as a runner at Red Bank High and walked on at the University of Tennessee, has had a phenomenal year.
Her mother said much of the credit goes to her UT coach, J.J. Clark, whose specialty in the 800 meters. Phoebe finished third in the 800 meters, just behind winner Hazel Clar, who is the sister of her coach. Former Michigan runner Gall was second.
Wright's time was 2:01.12 - over a second better than her previous record.
UT officials said, "Wright put herself into position for a possible trip to the IAAF World Championships with an impressive third-place finish in the senior division, running a career-best time of 2:01.12. The UT junior, however, has not met the "A" qualifying standard of 2:00.00 for the world championships, so her travel to Berlin, Germany, for the meet on Aug. 15-23 remains in question. At this time, only one U.S. woman has the "A" mark in the 800, and Anna Willard did not run that event this weekend."
She was running third near the end of the race, then fell back. But she put on a final surge and got the spot she was hoping for.
The top three finishers in each event are due to move on to worlds.
Lucy Wright said she was watching the race from her living room in Chattanooga. She said, "I was pretty nervous, but I thought she was going to make it."
Based upon U.S. rankings this season, Wright has the fifth fastest time of any American woman.
Wright also improved her status on the all-time outdoor list at Tennessee, moving past greats Joetta Clark and Alisa Harvey to fourth-fastest Lady Vol in history in the 800. Only Jasmin Jones, Kameisha Bennett and Delisa Walton were faster. Wright's mark today also was the sixth-best ever clocked by a UT woman.
800 Meters Womens
1 Hazel Clark Nike 2:00.79
2 Geena Gall Oregon TC Elite 2:01.01
3 Phoebe Wright Tennessee 2:01.12
4 Maggie Vessey unattached 2:01.19
5 Laura Hermanson North Dakota State 2:01.28
6 Morgan Uceny Reebok 2:01.32
7 Alysia Johnson Nike 2:01.58
8 Katie Waits Reebok 2:01.69
9 Brenda Martinez Cal Riverside 2:09.44