Lizzie Bird summoned just enough energy for a final kick and the wind. Photo by Chloe Montague
Lizzie Bird was doubtful of her remaining energy. Entering the final straightaway of the women’s 1,500-meter race Friday night, she was sitting in third place and feeling winded.
University of Portland’s Laura Pellicoro seemed to have the race in her grasp. She had made her move from third place into first at the 1,300-meter mark.
All of a sudden, Bird came streaking by Pellicoro’s right shoulder and overtook her in the final 20 meters to steal the win at the Oregon Twilight Meet.
Bird took the race in 4 minutes, 15.02 seconds, .28 ahead of Pellicoro. However, she struggled throughout the event. Then when she rounded the final turn and the finish line came into sight, she found another wind.
“At 200 to go, the girls were pulling away,” Bird said. “I think with 100 to go, I kind of rallied and said, ‘C’mon, let’s try and get the win.’”
Bird got lost in the pack through the early parts of the race. When the pacer stepped off the track at 1,000 meters, she sat in sixth place unsure of her chances to win.
“There were a couple of points in the race where I sort of gave up mentally,” Bird said. “My legs felt kind of awful, and I wasn’t moving very fast. I learned a bit of mental toughness.”
Bird’s main event is the 3,000-meter steeplechase. She set a personal best of 9:19.68 at the Tokyo Olympics. On Friday, she ran the 1,500 meters to help prepare for that steeplechase.
She left with an early-season win. As the season progresses she hopes to return to Oregon for the World Athletics Championships in that 3,000-meter steeplechase. The first step: qualifying for Great Britain’s national team.
