The final chapter of Lena Nilsson’s storybook UCLA career
won’t have a happy ending.
Lingering pain from a stress fracture in her right foot will
keep middle distance runner Nilsson from competing at the Pac-10
Championships this weekend, meaning that the three-time NCAA
champion’s collegiate career is finished.
“She would like nothing more than to finish her career at
UCLA on a high note,” distance coach Eric Peterson said.
“Unfortunately, her foot hasn’t healed fast
enough.”
Nilsson, who suffered the stress fracture prior to the start of
the outdoor season, did not originally believe the injury was
serious. The senior had hoped to return in time for the USC dual
meet May 1, but re-evaluated that date because her foot was too
sore to run.
She and Peterson met with team doctors again Monday, and decided
that the pain had not subsided enough for her to compete this
weekend.
“Ending my career this way is the most
disappointing,” Nilsson said. “To not be able to go for
another NCAA Championship is very hard.”
The injury will also prevent Nilsson from vying for a spot on
the Swedish Olympic team this summer, since she has been unable to
train in the past two months.
“That’s just probably not realistic this
year,” she said.
Nilsson is the second significant loss for the No. 2 ranked
women’s track and field team this week. Doctors informed
freshman long jumper Renee Williams on Monday that she will also
miss the rest of the season because of a deep bone bruise in her
right knee.
The void left by Nilsson, one of the nation’s top middle
distance runners, promises to be a significant blow to UCLA’s
NCAA title hopes.
Although the senior probably would have been among the favorites
to capture first place in the 1500-meter run, Peterson is confident
UCLA has a strong enough middle distance corps to replace her.
The top two 1500m runners in the nation, Mississippi
State’s Tiffany McWilliams and Johanna Nilsson of Northern
Arizona, seem to be heavy favorites to capture the top two spots.
But the race for third is up for grabs, meaning senior Melissa
McBain and sophomore Alejandra Barrientos both have a legitimate
shot at scoring points for the Bruins.
“We’re in good hands,” Peterson said.
“Barrientos and McBain are running as well as
ever.”
For Nilsson, however, that is little consolation. The senior
already used her redshirt year, so her collegiate career is
over.
While Nilsson says she is pulling for her teammates during the
season’s stretch run, she says it will hurt too much to stay
involved in the program.
“I’m probably going to stay away from track and
field for a while,” Nilsson said.
“It makes it really hard when you can’t be a part of
things.”