25 year old South Jersey Olympian a powerful sendoff less than a week before she leaves for Beijing for the Olympic Opening Ceremonies. The festivities included a parade through Haddonfield for Erin with a parade route mobbed with enthusiastic Haddonfield residents. Erin, her family and coaches rode in the parade and were proceeded with bands, a color guard and local running club South Jersey AC holding a 
gigantic American flag. At Erin's alma mater Haddonfield High School the festivities were capped with a proclamation designating July 31, 2008 as Erin Donohue day and a chance for the hundreds of children present to run with an Olympian for a lap on Haddonfield's track. Erin will run her preliminary 1500 meter race on August 19 (August 18 in the USA between 9 and 11:30 est). After her outstanding scholastic running career at Haddonfield High School, Erin ran at North Carolina where she was an All-American and then for Nike where she is coached by John Cook (who also coaches Shalene Flanagan and Shannon Rowbury).
Like South Jersey's last Olympic Distance runner Browning Ross (Woodbury, 1952) Erin has become a world class distance runner while doing much of her training in her hometown (Haddonfield) thus 
continuing to inspire runners of all ages in South Jersey. Good luck Erin!
Click below for a video of Erin and the parade from CBS http://cbs3.com/local/Haddonfield.Erin.Donohue.2.785043.html
Among Erin's accomplishments:
- 2008 US Olympian 1500 meters (runner up in US trials)
- Fastest American miler 2007 (4:27)
- 4 time NCAA All American at North Carolina
- World Championship 1500 meter Semi-Finalist 2007
- PR 2:01.12 in 800 meters, 4:05.55 in 1500 meters and 4:27 in mile
- 15 NJSIAA State Championships in 800, 1600, 3200 and javelin (state record)
- NJ Meet of Champions winner in 1,600m, 3200m and runner up in javelin by 3 inches. Named NJ
- High School athlete of the year.
- 2 Time National Scholastic Mile Champion 1999, 2001
1 comment:
I was a member of the Cherokee HS track team when Erin was in HS. Even back then I remember what an honorable competitor Erin was. Her races were always something to talk about. I wish her the best of luck at the Olympics!
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