Alysia Johnson (Canyon HS, CC/UC Berkeley) wins "under 23" 800 NCAC

July, 2006
Pac 10 - former So Cal Prepster

Two-lapper follows up third in NCAA and fourth at Sr Nat'ls
  

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Alysia Johnson (Canyon HS, CC/UC Berkeley)
wins "under 23" 800 NCAC

July, 2006
Pac 10 - former So Cal Prepster

Two-lapper follows up third in NCAA and fourth at Sr Nat'ls

link to original article
Track & Field
Johnson’s 800m Win Another Day At the Beach
Cal Runner Continues Hot Streak by Setting New Meet Record for U.S. Under-23 Team
BY Steffi Chan
Contributing Writer
Monday, July 17, 2006

Alysia Johnson set a new meet record with a time of 2:03:87 at the NACAC U-23 Championships held July 7-9.

Walking on the island of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Alysia Johnson left more than just her footprints in the sand at the beach-she left her mark in the history of the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium as well.
As a member of Team USA, Johnson joined teammates Antonette Carter and Giliat Ghebray of the Cal track and field squad to run in a competition that included five hundred athletes.

In between enjoying the beach, sight-seeing and meeting other athletes in the host hotel, Johnson also found time to win the women's 800m run in the North American, Central American and Caribbean Under-23 Championships held July 7-9.

The 20-year-old overcame extremely hot and humid weather and a field that included former collegiate athletes representing 27 countries to record a meet-record time of 2:03:87 seconds.

Johnson's first place finish continued to prove that her slew of accolades this year-most recently third place at NCAAs and fourth at the U.S. championships-has been anything but a fluke.

"It's been kind of a magical season-all the stars aligned themselves, I guess," distance and cross country coach Tony Sandoval said. "But it's really her hard work and dedication. Anything after the NCAAs is icing on the cake, but what she did shows she's one of the elite."

Carter and Ghebray, who have also established themselves as standout athletes during their time at Cal, posted solid performances on top of enjoying their surroundings.

"We had fun together-it was one of the best teams I'd ever been on," Carter said. "We went to the beach, hung out, but tried not to walk around too much. You don't want to get your feet tired. We came with a task, and you don't want to detour from that."

Ghebray, who was recently named an All-American at the NCAAs, ran a time of 14:55.52 seconds in the men's 5000m race to clinch second place. He will be entering his senior year in the fall.

"He's had a breakout year," Sandoval said. "And he does have an indoor and outdoor season remaining so this is going to be a great springboard for him."

Carter, a former star at Cal and a two-time All-American, was leading in the 200m dash until the 180m mark, when 2006 NCAA 200m champion, Shalonda Solomon of South Carolina, passed her. Carter fell to second with a time of 23.05 seconds, and Solomon crossed the finish line at 22.90.

"I was kind of happy to get second in a major event, but I wanted to win," Carter said. "When (Solomon) came up, I just got tired. She has more stamina than I do, and she can finish a lot stronger."

Santo Domingo is the first stop on a long list of destinations that Carter will be traveling to in the coming months to compete.

Wednesday, she will be heading to Greece, followed by England and Germany.

"I can't think of anybody at the national level who has had more improvement from high school to college than she has had," Sandoval said. "She certainly carried the flag for us for a number of years, so I know she's going to have a spectacular post-collegiate season."

Contact Steffi Chan at [email protected].