Virginia Tech track standout heads to Olympics

By Lindsey Henley
WSLS10 Reporter
Published: July 1, 2008

In a photo finish for second place, Virginia Tech stand-out track athlete Queen Harrison has never been so happy to be second best in her life.
“It was pretty amazing how it all unfolded,” Virginia Tech Director of Track and Field Dave Cianelli said.
Cianelli was in Oregon watching Sunday as Harrison punched her ticket to the Olympics in the 400-meter hurdles. 
But when the gun sounded, there were a couple hurdles other than those on the track she needed to overcome.
The first was a hamstring injury she’s nursed since last season at Tech.
“She’s definitely not 100 percent, but she felt confident enough going into that final that she could run hard and really take a shot at it,” Cianelli said.
As if her hamstring woes weren’t enough, Harrison’s neighbor next door took a spill into her lane going into the home stretch.
“For that split second, you just hold your breath and hope she can get over and around her without tripping,” Cianelli said.
Somehow Harrison stayed up, pulling out a second place finish, which was enough to make her the first Virginia Tech track athlete ever to trade in her maroon and orange for red, white, and blue along with a shot at the gold.