MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (HUBBARD) -- a Middle Tennessee State athlete recently had her first taste of what being an Olympian might be like. MTSU's Ann Dudley ultimately came up short, but says the experience will serve her well
Dudley became the Blue Raiders first female All American entry in the high jump this past track season. Her success led her to the U.S. track and field Olympic trials last month in Eugene, Ore.
Dudley went right to work and made the preliminary cut to get into the high-jump final.
“I was looking like, you know, me coming from almost losing my scholarship my freshman year to me making the final of the USA 2012 Olympic trials, and me having the opportunity to make the London team. I was excited. I was happy. I think every emotion in my mind was running.”
The MTSU Senior’s three final jumps fell short and she failed to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team, but Dudly refuses to be discouraged.
“Me making it to the final but not doing what I needed to do… I feel like that is just another step for me to take. I know exactly what needs to be done. I know exactly what’s going to change.”
Dudley hopes to try out for the Olympics again and says she’ll be better prepared when the games roll around again in 2016.
EDITOR'S NOTE: WMOT News thanks reporter Alex Hubbard, News Editor at our news partner Sidelines, for researching and writing this series.