Former stand - out athlete at San Francisco's Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory and recent inductee into the San Francisco Prep Hall of Fame, Shannon Rowbury qualified for the 2008 Olympic Track and Field Team by winning the Olympic Trials' 1500 meters on July 6 in 4 minutes, 5.48 seconds.
Rowbury has gone from "off - the radar" to a USA Indoor National title, followed by achieving a time ( 4:01.61 ) that ranks her as the fifth fastest American woman for 1500 meters in history. And now, she's on to the Summer Games in Beijing.
"The last two months have been just amazing," said Andy Chan, her SHCP coach. "I feel blessed that Shannon and I crossed paths back in 1998 and developed a great athlete - coach relationship. What Shannon accomplished in high school was enough to make any coach proud. But the fact she has continued to achieve even greater things is just off the charts."
Coach Chan attended the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore., to cheer on Rowbury. He admits he was quite nervous. "I've had July 6 circled on my calendar for a long time. My wife, Malinda, and I got married last summer but didn't take a honeymoon. We were saving money and vacation time to take a big international trip if Shannon were to qualify. Then we realized we couldn't just pick - up and go to China for the Olympics at the last minute. It would take time to get a visa, to figure out our travel plans, and to get Olympic tickets. So we pulled the trigger in January of this year and committed to traveling to Beijing for the Summer Games. I guess it all worked out."
Coach Chan's feelings were expressed on a sign he held up after Rowbury's qualifying race: "Hotel in Beijing - 10,875 Yen. Tickets to the Olympic Track Meet - $520. Watching the kid you coached in high school run in the Olympics - priceless."
"While many may be surprised by this 23 - year old's rapid ascent, we at SHCP are proud and excited to witness such success from an alumna of our school. In August, Beijing and the world will get to see this athlete who we were lucky enough to know up close and personal for her four years ( 1998 - 2002 ) of high school," a school spokesperson said.
When Rowbury entered SHCP, she had no previous running experience. She had broken her leg in kindergarten and took up dancing to strengthen it. She started with ballet but switched to Irish step dancing. She became quite accomplished.
"I still remember her first day of school," recalled SHCP athletic director and PE teacher Jo Ann Momono. "She told me she was planning to try out for soccer and asked me if she should try out for cross country." Fortunately, Momono directed Rowbury to Coach Chan, the school's then first - year head coach.
Her first training runs were nothing out of the ordinary so Coach Chan was surprised when Rowbury's first race was a 14:22 for second place in a two - mile junior varsity race. She eventually moved to varsity, won the league championship, and helped the team qualify for the California State Meet for the first time in school history.
As a freshman she raced at different distances - 800, 1600, 3200 and 4X400. "I changed my mind almost weekly as to what her best event was," said Chan. "In the end, we decided to have her focus on the 800 because the time it would take her to run the 800 was about the same length of time as an Irish dance routine."
In May of 1999, Rowbury emerged on the Central Coast Section ( CCS ) scene, winning the championship in the 800 meters. It was the first of many tactically sound races. She hung back for the first lap and then, with 300 meters to go, "powered up" and took the lead. The crowd and the announcer literally gasped when the little known athlete surged to the lead on her way to what would be the first of four consecutive section championships at 800.
During her junior year, Rowbury became a state and national - level prep runner. In cross country, she ran 17:52 on a five - kilometer course, to place second at the state meet. In April 2001, she won the 800 meters at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational - at that point the fastest time in the nation for a high school girl ( 2:08.52 ) . She would go on to finish the season undefeated at 800 meters, winning the California State Meet and the Adidas National Outdoor Championships.
Rowbury's senior year included national - level marks in three events: the 800 ( 2:08 ) , 1600 ( 4:51 ) and 3000 ( 9:38 ) . Rowbury decided not to defend her state title in the 800 and instead moved up to the 1600.
"As Shannon developed as a runner, her ability to focus for longer periods of time improved, and she evolved into what I considered a natural miler," said Chan, "At that distance she had time to strategize, and her finishing speed was an even greater asset." In her final high school race, Rowbury won the state 1600 meters.
Rowbury was more than an athlete at SHCP. Richard Sansoe, her U.S. history teacher, recalled, "She was always determined and focused. She handled the class as well as she performed as an athlete."
Her grades were so good that her French teacher, Don Moe, said, "She did not miss, was never even late on a single homework assignment all year. She had a B on one quiz during second quarter. Every other grade all year was an A or A - ."
Ken Hogarty, now SHCP principal, worked with Rowbury in the DePaul Scholar program. "Shannon was an excellent writer who loved literature," said Hogarty. She went on to graduate magnum cum laude in English and Theater Studies, earn a certificate in Film/Video/Digital Studies, and a masters in humanities with a Film Studies and Women Studies emphasis from Duke University.
Shannon's mother, Paula Rowbury, remembers being asked why Shannon chose SHCP. "One of the people that I talked to believed any coach could have molded Shannon into the athlete that she has become," she said. "I adamantly pointed out how wrong she was. I knew that it took a selfless coach, a person of character, to work patiently in developing an athlete's talents. Andy's main focus was on helping her develop a love and passion for her sport."
Chan maintains a close friendship with the runner. "Fate brought us to SHCP at the same time, so we started our journey together in 1998," said Rowbury. "I was new to running and he was new to being a head coach."
Looking back, Rowbury said, "I was very fortunate with my high school experience. Andy recognized that I might have a future in running, and he made sure to think of my development in the long term. He was conservative in my training, taught me the value of recovery, and above all made sure running was fun. While I may not have as many records as a result, I feel I owe a lot to Andy for creating in me a healthy and positive outlook toward running."
"Shannon was incredibly coachable," said Chan. "She asked lots of questions, and we always had detailed race plans. Her strength was her ability to find the finish line. Numerous times she found a way to kick just enough to pass a runner in the final meters of the race."
"We always focused on improving each year and doing things that gave her the best possible chance for success. I felt that if this was done, winning championships and running fast times would take care of themselves. I preached that if it came down to the last 200 meters and she was in the race with a chance to win, neither she nor I could ask for anything more."
An interesting note about Rowbury's high school training is that her success came at a school with no track facility or nearby place to run. The campus is located in the heart of San Francisco, less than a mile from downtown and City Hall.
During the past two years, Chan said, "I can't tell you how many times I've been asked if Rowbury would make the Olympics. Now the question is "Can Shannon Rowbury win an Olympic medal?"
The Olympic women's 1500 - meter runs are scheduled Aug. 19, 21 and 23.
( Material for this story was supplied by the SHCP Office of Communications. )
