• printer friendly
• mail this article
• iPod format
• digg

Photo

Tiffany Burgess

More than three-quarters of the way into the fastest 800-meter race of her life, UCLA’s Tiffany Burgess felt a throbbing sensation in her right foot that proved to be insurmountable.

As the other runners in the lead group at the Mt. SAC Relays blew past her, a determined Burgess labored across the finish line before collapsing on the track and hastily removing her shoe.

While the injury did not initially appear too severe to Burgess, her condition did not improve. On April 22 – three days after the race – she had x-rays and was diagnosed with a fractured big toe in her right foot, an injury that will likely spell the end to her season and her collegiate track and field career.

“I felt like a spike or a rock was in my shoe,” said Burgess who nonetheless finished the race in 2:04.62, one of the five fastest collegiate marks of the year. “I didn’t think it was a break. It wasn’t painful enough for me to stop the race, but it was enough to slow me down.”

Burgess underwent surgery on her toe this past Friday, and will be out of action for six to eight weeks. She will have her cast removed in two weeks, but will wear a walking cast on her foot until mid-June – a major inconvenience for someone who is used to getting places quickly.

With the NCAA West Regionals just a month away, Burgess will be unable to compete in the remainder of the season.

“It’s horrible news because she’s invested so much time into her training,” UCLA distance coach Eric Peterson said. “And now – at least for the rest of this college season – she won’t be able to reap the benefits.”

Prior to her injury, Burgess and fellow-Bruin Lena Nilsson made up perhaps the top middle distance duo in the nation. Nilsson, the reigning NCAA outdoor champion in the 1500m, will be among the favorites to take home the title again this year while Burgess would have been a top contender in the 800m as well.

Losing Burgess could be very costly for a No. 4 UCLA squad that has fallen just short of an NCAA Championship each of the past four years. Peterson and women’s head coach Jeanette Bolden had been counting on Burgess to secure points for the team at both the Pac-10 meet in mid-May and the Outdoor Nationals in mid-June.

Without her in the lineup, they have hope that others can fill the void.

“It puts more pressure on kids that maybe should be performing better anyway,” Peterson said. “If you look at the star performers on this team, they are going to have to step forward.”

With the Pac-10 favorite Burgess sidelined, the conference championship in the 800m is now wide open. Peterson is hoping that freshman Ashley Caldwell can shave a few seconds off her season-best 2:09.83, and score some points for her team at the Pac-10 meet.

Burgess has planned to assist Caldwell in whatever way she can, and will focus all of her remaining energy on getting healthy and preparing for a successful professional track and field career.

“I think it’s going to be a slow process for me,” said Burgess, a legitimate candidate for the 2004 U.S. Olympic team. “My body kind of knows how to get into shape. As long as I don’t push it, I think I’ll be fine.”

The determination on Burgess’ face when she speaks is proof that she will overcome this injury. Winning a national championship without one of the Bruins’ best weapons, however, may be too much for her teammates to overcome.

Comments

Post a comment