July 15, 2004
Running out of lane eight, South Carolina senior Otis Harris won the silver medal at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials – winning a silver medal. He now joins South Carolina junior Lashinda Demus on the US Olympic team headed to the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Harris ran a time of 44.67 to Baylor’s Jeremy Warnier who won with a time of 44.37. Former LSU NCAA champion Derrick Brew won the bronze medal with a time of 44.69. Harris did not run his senior year and runs for Nike.
“It’s a blessing from God and I truly did not expect that when I first got here. I felt so happy to just make the finals and it’s a blessing to make it. I am not sure how but I guess hard work and praying paid off tonight. I stayed in my own race and didn’t worry about what lane I had or who else was running – every lane is 400 and you have to believe in yourself and your plan,” said Harris, a native of Edward, Miss. Who was an 8-time All-American at USC. “I never believed it could happen so I guess I am a walking dream – a living dream.”
“I just wanted to stay in my race,” said Harris. “I am in still in shock because I came here to make the finals.”
“I thought he could win it honestly,’ said USC Head Coach Curtis Frye. “I told him to follow his plan – to ake it out and know that no one can finish like him. He did just that – he just backed off a little on the turn because he didn’t trust himself. He can finish better than anybody. We are proud of Otis tonight – he has worked hard this year.”
Former US champion Dawn Ellerbe finished 10th in the women’s hammer with a throw of 207′ 6.
Demetria Washington finished fifth her heat semi-final heat of the 400m at 52.27 and did not advance to the finals. One race earlier Lisa Barber finished sixth in her semi-final heat of the 400m at 52.10 and did not advance.
Former volunteer coach Monique Hennagan (a Columbia native) was third in her semi-final of the 400m, running a 50.59 to advance to Saturday’s final.
No one affiliated with USC competes at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials on Friday, July 16.
