Second place is an honor for most track athletes in national championships. But do not expect an athlete with the world-class speed of 60 and 100-meter hurdler Lolo Jones to be satisfied with such results.
The two-time national champion fell four-hundredths of a second short at this year’s NCAA Indoor Championships of becoming a three-time champion, despite matching time that won her the event.
“I wasn’t really worried about being second. I was upset that I didn’t [provisionally qualify],” Jones said. “I wouldn’t be upset if I got fourth place and my time was down. But I was more disappointed that I came in with the same time. It shows no improvement for me, even though [women’s sprints and hurdlers] coach [Dennis] Shaver knows I improved.”
Shaver agrees that Jones has shown much improvement since her freshman year, despite clocking in at the same time.
“She’s worked hard at becoming physically stronger and being more explosive at the same time,” Shaver said. “I really think she was ready to run a personal best, but she false-started in that race for the first time in her career. It’s just one of those things. She got caught sitting on the blocks the second time, and it took away from her great explosive start.”
The senior eight-time All American said she has other moments to fondly look back upon.
Jones went undefeated in 2003 in the 60-meter hurdles, capping the season with a first-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a time of 8 seconds flat.
Jones became the first woman in Southeastern Conference history to win three-consecutive SEC hurdles titles, winning this year with an SEC Championships record time of 8.08. Jones had to settle for second place in her freshman year, after spending the previous night in the hospital.
Jones said it was her finish at the SEC Championships when she earned the complete respect from her teammates.
“The rain delay helped me run,” Jones said. “Before the rain delay, doctors told me I wouldn’t run. But because of the rain, they pushed it two to three hours back, and they gave me more IVs with fluid, and I was able to run.”
Jones said the toughness she showed earned the respect of her teammates.
“They said I wasn’t a cub anymore, I became a Tiger — whatever that’s supposed to mean,” Jones said jokingly.
Jones also took home a 4×100-meter relay National Championship, and teammates said they plan to take home one more.
With an illustrious collegiate career coming to an end, Jones said she still has some unfilled goals for her last outdoor season at LSU.
“I still haven’t won an outdoor championship, and I still haven’t broken a collegiate record,” Jones said. “I broke some SEC records, but I want my name in the record books.”
Jones is confident in how she will close the final chapter of her illustrious career.
“It’s going to be a sad, sad chapter for me to end in my life, but it’s got to end some time,” Jones said. “I used to say my most memorable moment is when I got sick. Now it’s either the nationals indoor, or this year’s Penn Relays because that’s going to be memorable. I’m going out with fireworks, and I’m bringing them.”