Summer finds most Virginia students working on their tan or preparing themselves for life after college with an internship. Track and field athlete Erin Crawford, however, hasn't found time for any of that. Beating school records, being named All-American, and winning bronze at the NACAC (North Amerca, Central America and Caribbean) Athletic Championships in the Dominican Republic have all kept Crawford busy this summer.
The summer began for Crawford with a trip to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Sacramento, California. Crawford went into the event ranked 13th in the country.
"I knew I was ranked 13th, so I figured I had nothing to lose," Crawford said."I just went in trying to make it to finals."
Not only did Crawford achieve that goal, but she ended up placing fifth in intermediate hurdles, earning All-American honors. Crawford also broke the school record in 400-meter intermediate hurdles in the second round and then beat that mark in the third round.
Just when Crawford thought her season was over, Virginia track and field coach Randy Bungard got a phone call. Crawford had been selected to represent the United States at the NACAC Athletic Championships in the Dominican Republic. Only two Americans were invited to attend this event.
"I was worried about my knee and I knew I wasn't going to run very fast but I just couldn't pass up the experience," Crawford said.
Crawford exceeded her own expectations at the event, finishing third with a time of 58.70 in the 400m. In addition to this, she was also the top American finisher.
"I wasn't sure how she was going to perform after all the travel and after training for so long but I was really happy with how she ran," said Bungard.
Crawford, unfazed by any of her achievements, has plans to only improve.
"I don't want to get stuck on any record or achievement, I just want to run faster," Crawford said.
According to Bungard, Crawford's modest attitude and work ethic bring a lot to the Virginia track team.
"She is somebody who day in and day out goes out there and works her tail off and she does it in such a way that she shows people that this is what you do if you want to be good," Bungard said. "I think the team sees that and it has some effect on how everyone else trains."
Crawford just wants to keep running.
"I want to win ACCs individually and maybe be top three in the nation," she said.
Crawford also admitted that the Olympic trials are a definite possibility in the future.
Until then, the Foreign Affairs major has a few weeks before school starts to return to more normal summer activities for a Virginia student.
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