TAKING OFF—Erica Bartolini, shown here in competition earlier this spring, has endured an up-and-down spring season in the pole vault.

Amite's Wilson eyes slot on sprint corps

By Fred Batiste

RUSTON—Beijing may be a half a world away, but its on the horizon for former Amite standout Latonia Wilson.

Wilson can punch her ticket to the Summer Olympics in Beijing with a strong showing at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials June 27-July 6 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. The former Louisiana Tech All-America sprinter will compete against the nation's best in the 200- and 400-meter dashes.

"It keeps you motivated when you know you're right there with everybody else," Wilson said. "It keeps you from giving up. I've got a chance now. It keeps me motivated to keep training hard every day and do what I have to do in order to make the team."

The top three finishers in the 200 and 400 automatically qualify for Beijing. Finalists in the events have a chance to make the team in one of the relay events. Her performances in the two events during the year qualified her for the trials.

"I'm trying to make it in both or either one of the events," she said. "You just can't go up there and run. You've to qualify and meet certain standards."

The training has been more intense as the trials draw near, Wilson said. She is concentrating on certain aspects such as speed, strength and endurance while keeping a focus on her technique as she grinds through her training at Tech.

She will need that endurance at the trials, opening up with preliminaries in the 200 on June 27 and the 400 two days later.

"I have to make sure I keep my stamina, endurance and speed training," Wilson said. "I've got two-a-days. You're competing against professionals, so you can't do the things you used to do. You've got to do something different to get different results. The training hasn't been easy."

Wilson said her dreams of competing in Olympics kicked into high gear during her career at Tech. She set school indoor records in the 55-meter dash and 200-meter dash while helping set a school mark indoors in the 4x400-meter relay. She ended her career breaking her own records — convincing herself that she can realize her dream.

Wilson said her training has been progressing slowly, but she hopes to be peaking in time for the trials.

"I know I'm not going to go out there and run a super-fast time in one meet," she said.

Another aspect of the trials that affects Wilson are the costs with lodging and meals. She said he has plane ticket to Eugene already, but is looking for additional donations to help cover other expenses.

Anyone interested in donating to Wilson can contact her father, Eve Wilson, at 11350 Ardillo Lane in Amite or call (985) 748-3177.

Local vaulter slowed by obstacles

By John Lenz

Hammond resident Erica Bartolini's quest for a berth on the U.S. Olympic team has hit some snags as she prepares for this summer's Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore.

Bartolini came away from her pole vault competition held last Sunday in Livermore, Calif., empty-handed and disappointed. She struggled trying to get in a good jump on the right pole and missed all three of her attempts at her opening height, ending up with no height at all.

"My frustration is multiplied because I am ready to jump high, I am in great health, and my technique is near perfect when I do it right," Bartolini said via email. "The weather and conditions in Livermore were great — better than what I was prepared for."

It's been an up-and-down spring for Bertolini, who is trying to get to 14 1/2 feet — which should be good enough to punch her ticket to Beijing.

Her indoor season was hampered by a bout with the flu in February that knocked her out of most of the indoor meets she had scheduled to participate in, including the Indoor National Championships.

In her first elite outdoors pole vault competition of the year, she took third place in the Asparagus Festival Street Vault held in Stockton, Calif. Her 13-10 left her second among the American women who were competing.

With just six weeks remaining before the Olympic Trials qualifying starting July 3 in Eugene, Bartolini goes back on the road this Saturday to Jonesboro, Ark., for the "VaultStock" competition. She's also planning to get a taste of Eugene early at the Eugene Street Vault competition scheduled for the weekend of May 31.

"I'll keep fighting," Bartolini said. "I stay focused and determined, I don't get down on myself, and I keep working toward my goal. I have just over six weeks until the Trials, and disappointment along the way doesn't have to be a detriment to me making the Olympic team."