May 11, 2006
Fayetteville, Ark. – USC began competition on Thursday in the first day of the SEC Outdoor Championships, competing in the heptathlon and decathlon. The meet, hosted by Arkansas, runs through May 14.
In a matter of 24 hours earlier this season USC sophomore Shalonda Solomon scratched two former Gamecock greats out of the USC records books in the 100m and 200m. At Sea Ray Relays in April, Solomon ran a 11.12 in the 100m final to top Erica Whipple’s school record run of 11.15 in 2003. The next day Solomon scorched the track to break former three-time NCAA champion Aileen Bailey’s school record in the 200m at 22.53 (Bailey ran a 22.54 in 2002). Bailey went on to win a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics with Jamacia’s 4x100m relay.
Solomon also shattered Bailey’s indoor school record in the 200m to win the 2006 NCAA title. Solomon’s 22.57 topped Bailey’s 23.03 in 2003. After winning the NCAA 200m title indoors, Solomon was named the SEC Indoor Athlete of the Year.
Solomon’s times at Sea Ray Relays were then-world leaders. Her 200m time (22.53) is No. 1 in the NCAA and No. 3 worldwide. Her 100m time is No. 2 in the NCAA and No. 3 worldwide. Prior to the meet beginning, Solomon sat down and talked to uscsports.com about the SEC meet, running PRs and what’s playing on her MP3 player every meet.
USC: What are your goals at the SEC meet?
Solomon: I want to PR in everything I do this weekend. I want to run as fast as I can. I have a range of times, but I don’t think I am going to run this fast (a certain time) each time. I just go out and do my best.
USC: What’s your goal first: to PR or to win?
Solomon: I guess to PR first and then if I win than that’s a bigger bonus. I like the shortest race possible, but I am better at the 200m. I like running the 4×1, I get too tired during the 4×4. Running the 4×4 you have to maintain your race longer and it’s not over when you get the baton. You have time to pick off people and move ahead.
USC: You have won a number of SEC and NCAA titles – how many titles did you win in high school?
Solomon: My team won three titles. Individual state titles? I won none. I lost the first three years to Allyson Felix (who went and signed a professional contract with Nike right out of high school and won the xx medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics) and lost my senior year of high school to Jasmine Baldwin.
USC: What’s your favorite movie? Favorite tv show? Favorite book?
Solomon: My favorite movie is Little Mermaid. I like the old school tv shows: Jamie Foxx, Martin, Family Matters, Full House. My favorite book is the Bible.
USC: You have already broken the indoor 200m and the outdoor 100m and 200m school records as a sophomore. Knowing the legacy of Gamecock greats Erica Whipple (outdoor 100m) and Aileen Bailey (indoor and outdoor 200m), what does it mean to you to already own those records?
Solomon: It’s truly a blessing because they are both great athletes. Saying I ran faster than them already means I am on a good level and doing well. It’s an honor.
USC: Who did you admire when you were growing up? Who do you admire now-a-days?
Solomon: I looked up to Marion Jones and Gail Devers. Right now I look up to a lot of athletes that run professionally.
USC: How did you choose USC?
Solomon: I went to nationals and saw Aileen Bailey win the 100m and 200m (2003). I knew I wanted to come visit there. I liked the coaches.
USC: Who do you expect to run well this weekend? How do you like training with the men (as a combined program)?
Solomon: Everyone will run well! This is a really fast track and everyone has been training very well. We need to have positive attitudes. The men are getting better and have more confidence in themselves due to their success. It’s really helpful to train with the men. Knowing they are faster than you are, you run faster in practice and that helps you in races because you have already run with faster people in practice.
USC: What kind of music machine do you listen to and what kind of music do you prefer?
Solomon: I use the MP3 player the SEC gave us indoors. I listen to a lot of different music, but especially gospel music. I listen to Yolanda Adams, Kirk Franklin, Fred Hamond. I listen to fast gospel music or slow gospel music prior to the race. Anything that puts my spirit and my body as one, I’m straight.
USC: You’ve been on the Dean’s list all four semesters at Carolina and sport a 3.526 GPA. What is your major and when you graduate from college, what would you like to do?
Solomon: I am a Nursing major. I graduate in Spring 2008 and I would like to run professionally. I am not sure kind of nurse I would like to be, but I really want to be a nurse. My mom was a nurse and I like to help people.
USC: Precious Akins (junior thrower from Charleston, SC) is also a Nursing major. Do you work together?
Solomon: I talk to Precious all the time. She helps me out with classes I should and shouldn’t take and when I should take them during the year. She helps me out to make sure I get good grades so I can get up in the upper division.
USC: Have you ever thought about being a doctor?
Solomon: No way. I don’t want to do too much school.
USC: What is your nickname? Goody-two-shoes?
Solomon: Goody-two-shoes – noooooo. (she laughs hard). My high school teammates called me ‘Speedy’, ‘Slick’. Here they call me ‘Good Girl’.
USC: What would you be doing if you didn’t run track?
Solomon: I would be concentrating more on school. I wasn’t really good at anything else in high school in sports, other than track. Here I have a good support staff with my coaches and my family. I am lucky.
