Nicole Bush

Nicole Bush (born April 4, 1986) is an American long-distance runner who competes in the steeplechase. Her personal record for the event is 9:24.59 minutes. She was the 2013 American champion in the steeplechase.

She competed collegiately for the Michigan State Spartans and her best placing was second at the NCAA Outdoor Championship in 2009. She was also runner-up at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2010.

Career

Early life and college

Born in Wyoming, Michigan, Bush attended Kelloggsville High School and established herself as a distance runner with four state titles in the 3200 m, and three state titles in both the 1600 m and cross country running. After graduating high school in 2004 she went to Michigan State University. In her sophomore year she proved herself as a steeplechaser by placing fifth at the NCAA Outdoor Championship and third at the Big Ten Conference meet. In 2007 she was runner-up at the Big Ten championship, sixth at the NCAA Outdoors and came fifth at the NCAA Cross Country Championships.[1]

In the 2008 indoor season Bush came second in the 5000 meters and third in the 3000 meters at the Big Ten Indoor Championship, then placed fourth and sixth in those events at the NCAA Indoor Championship. She didn't compete collegiately outdoors that year but instead competed at the 2008 United States Olympic Trials. She ran a personal record for the steeplechase with 9:40.27 minutes but did not make the Olympic team as she placed fourth overall. She was the gold medallist at the 2008 NACAC Under-23 Championships in Athletics, however.[1]

In her final year with Michigan State she came ninth at the NCAA Cross Country meet. In May 2009 her run of 9:39.38 at the Payton Jordan Invitational raised her to fifth on the all-time collegiate lists. At the Big Ten Championships she won her first title with a meet record time of 9:41.87 minutes for the steeplechase. She also placed second in the 5000 m with a personal record time of 15:55.41 minutes. In her last competition for her school she was the steeplechase runner-up at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.[1]

Bush also competed at the national championships indoors and out in 2009. At the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships she placed seventh in the 3000 m.[2] At the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships an official left one of the barriers at an incorrect height, leading Bush to fracture the cuboid bone in her right foot. This ended any possibility of making the team for the 2009 World Championships in Athletics.[3]

Professional

After recovering from her foot injury, she returned to competition as a professional athlete in mid-2010. She ran personal records for the mile run (4:36.27) and 3000 m (9:15.71). Bush was runner-up at the 2010 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships behind Lisa Aguilera. Her best steeplechase run that season (9:40.49) came in Belgium. Her times were nearer ten minutes in the 2011 season and she could only manage tenth at the 2011 National Championships. She declined further in 2012, failing to get past the heats at the 2012 United States Olympic Trials and having a best of 10:03.92 minutes that year.[2]

Bush returned to the form not seen since her college years in 2013. At the Ponce Grand Prix she ran a personal record of 9:39.36 minutes then claimed the national title at the 2013 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. This meant she had achieved the "A" standard and would be selected for the 2013 World Championships in Athletics to compete in the steeplechase.[3]

Personal bests

References

  1. 1 2 3 Nicole Bush. Michigan State Spartans. Retrieved on 2013-07-28.
  2. 1 2 Nicole Bush. Tilastopaja. Retrieved on 2013-07-28.
  3. 1 2 Lotsbom, Chris (2013-06-22). 2013 USATF Women’s Steeplechase: Nicole Bush Wins Four Years After Breaking Her Foot at World Trials. Let's Run. Retrieved on 2013-07-28.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, July 28, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.