UA runner Moline hurdles any condition

LONDON – Sun reflected off Georganne Moline’s silver shoes
with every step, sprint and hurdle she took during
practice for her first Olympic race Sunday.

Moline, a University of Arizona psychology major and
Phoenix native who will race in the 400-meter hurdles,
said she is ready for anything, even the London rain.

“I actually thought it was going to rain more,” Moline
said. “I was more prepared for rain, but I’m from Arizona
so I’m happy with the sunshine. I think I brought the
sunshine with me.”

Even if it does rain, Moline has run in Oregon before, so
it won’t be a issue.

“Once raining, you don’t even think about it, actually,
you just kind of run, so I’ll be fine with whatever
happens,” Moline said.

Making the USA Olympic team surprised Moline.

“Six months ago I wouldn’t have imagined myself being
here. It wasn’t until my last injury, in January when I
pulled my PCL (posterior cruciate ligament), when I really
realized I wanted this,” Moline said. “I was willing to
work hard to get here, so that’s when everything came
together.”

She qualified for the Olympic team with a time of 54.33,
her personal best.

“I had to decide if I wanted it, and I wanted it,” Moline
said.

Fred Harvey, Moline’s coach at Arizona, made the trip to
London to help her.

“I feel like I’m at home,” Moline said. “We’re doing the
same type of workouts. It’s definitely nice. I don’t know
where I’d be without him.”

As a Wildcat, she is the school’s best 400-meter hurdler
in years. She finished every race in 2010 under 61
seconds.

Her mother, Carrie, an uncle, an aunt and two friends came
to support her as her own personal “little team
Georganne.”

“Being here to represent my family, my coach, the United
States, the University of Arizona, that’s what motivates
me,” Moline said. “Being able to represent everyone, it’s
such a great opportunity.”

She has targeted a gold medal but mainly just wants to
medal. She was nervous during the Olympic Trials but said
nerves won’t be an issue here.

“That was the hardest part, making it to the games,”
Moline said. “Now that I’m here, I have nothing to lose.
Just go out there, have fun, run fast, what I’ve been
doing all year.”