Former 49ers All-American Shareese Woods got as far as the semifinals in the 400m US Olympic Trials.

June 30, 2008

Eugene, Ore. - Former Charlotte 49er and four-time all-America Shareese Woods (Fort Lee, Va.) was disqualified for running out of her lane in the first semifinal heat of the women's 400m at the United States Track and Field Olympic Trials, held at Hayward Field, on the campus of the University of Oregon Monday.

She was attempting to be the first current or former Charlotte athlete to qualify on the United States team for the Olympic Games. She is among those who wait to be selected to race on the 4x400m team for the United States in Beijing this August.

Woods ran a time of 51.60 seconds in the second of four heats Sunday, which was the sixth-fastest time of the day, earning her a spot in the semifinals. Television coverage of the semifinals begin on the USA Network (TWC, Channel 28 in Charlotte and surrounding areas) at 11 p.m.

Sunday, she ran a time of 51.60 seconds to advance through the quarterfinals by running the sixth-fastest time of the 27 runners from that round. Two heats of eight ran tonight, with the winners of each heat and the next six fastest times qualifying for Thursday's eight-person final.

She was the first 49er ever to claim a National Championship when she won the 400m title at the US Indoor National Championships in Boston this February. In March, she claimed a pair of bronze medals at the World Indoor Championships in both the 400m individual and 4x400m relay finals.

Woods earned four NCAA all-America honors during her four-year career with the 49ers -- the most of any Charlotte student-athlete. She was an all-America in the 400 meters at the 2005 NCAA Indoor Championships and in the 200 meters at the 2006 NCAA Outdoor Championships, the 2007 NCAA Indoor Championships and the 2007 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

No stranger to international success, Woods won gold in the 4x100 relay at the 2006 North American Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Games, won gold (4x400) and silver (200 meters) at the 2007 NACAC Games and won silver in the 4x100 relay at the 2007 Pan American Games.