Georganne Moline, a UA track and field alumna, is developing her mind to become her strongest asset, as her sights are set on the upcoming Olympic Games.
Moline, already one of the most decorated athletes to come out of Arizona’s track and field program, also competed in the 2012 Olympics.
The track star suffered injuries in her early years at Arizona that prevented her from developing beyond being a college athlete. Moline started to make her way to the national level of collegiate track and field in her third season with the Wildcats, first by scoring at the Pac-10 Outdoor Championships, where she ran a time of 57.88 seconds in the 400-meter hurdles.
This was only a mild beginning to her track success.
Moline gathered momentum early in the 2012 collegiate season that would continue throughout the year. She started her outdoor season with a personal best and finished with a Pac-12 Conference title in the 400-meter hurdles, clocking in at 55.12 seconds.
Her time met the Olympic Trials “A” standard of 56.00 seconds, meaning she would represent Arizona in the U.S. Olympic Trials in an effort to qualify for the London 2012 Olympics.
An athlete at the Olympic Trials must hit the standard and finish in the top three in order to make Team USA.
Moline ran to a stunning second-place finish at the trial, earning a personal best of 54.33 seconds and making Team USA for the 2012 Olympics.
The momentum didn’t stop at qualifying for the Olympics, either. In the Olympic final of the 400-meter hurdles, she clocked another personal-best time of 53.92 seconds to place fifth and break her own school record. The time was also No. 3 all-time in Pac-12 history.
Moline has competed in various meets across the world since her 2012 Olympic stint.
She was set to make Team USA once again for the IAAF World Championships in Beijing. However, in the finals at the 2015 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Moline clipped the eighth hurdle, fell and did not finish the final race.
“Our USA Championships was a meet I had been looking forward to and in the process had put an enormous amount of pressure on myself,” Moline said. “The preliminary and semifinal rounds went smoothly and exactly how I wanted them to go. The final round was a different story. I lined up with seven girls,0 and as I came to the eighth hurdle, I watched them all head for the finish line as I crashed to the ground.”
During this moment, Moline said she felt discouraged but not defeated.
“There are so many things I wish I had done differently this season,” Moline said. “However, there are other things I wouldn’t change.”
Moline said the 2015 season has taught her to understand the importance of her mind.
“I had neglected my mind and never thought to work my mind the way I work my body,” Moline said.
Moline still finished the season with a top-10 world ranking. However, Moline said she feels as if she hasn’t competed to her top ability. She said her coach, Fred Harvey, “sees nothing but a Champion [in her] each time she steps [on and] off the track.”
Moline enters the new off-season with a fresh mind and a strengthened spirit.
“This year is only going to propel me into next year because I know what I need to do to give myself the best opportunity for success,” Moline said. “I know my weaknesses and will continue to work on them until they become my strengths.”
