SMDR STORIES OF THE YEAR
The San Marcos Daily Record Sports Team is counting down the best stories from 2024. Coming in at No. 2 is Bobcat Hammer Thrower Elisabet Runarsdottir capturing the gold medal at NCAA Nationals. The article is a feature story on Runarsdottir originally published on 06/18/24 It had been 29 years since Texas State had a national champion in track and field with Inez Turner winning the 800-meter run in 1995. But after the completion of the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, the drought was over.
Sophomore Elisabet Runarsdottir broke the drought by winning the championship in the Hammer Throw to become the second ever woman track athlete to win a national title and the fourth Bobcat track athlete, man or woman, to win at the highest level.
“It was awesome to be honest,” Runarsdottir said. “It is so great to achieve something I have been going after since the beginning of the season. To top this season with an awesome win at the biggest [track] meet is amazing. It means so much to me to show that I had the [best throw] the entire season.”
Runarsdottir had already experienced what the national meet was like after qualifying last year and placing in 7th.
Not only did participating at the national meet help Runarsdottir to prepare for her eventual national championship, but also having a full year of knowing what the NCAA schedule was like coming over from Iceland and competing on the European circuit before Texas State.
“It helped out knowing what I was going into,” Runarsdottir said. “Last year, I didn’t know what was going on, and I was in the flight that competed first. So the nerves were more than they were now. To be honest, I have been consistent this entire season, so I knew if I [stuck] with what I have been doing this season, I would be in the final.
“That first season, I didn’t know what was going on,” Runarsdottir said. “It was a first time experience for everything. Coming into this year, I knew what I was getting into, how to plan out my second season and what I needed to focus on.”
Another key for Runarsdottir was staying injury free.
Being away from injuries allowed Runarsdottir to stay consistent in the Hammer Throw where she threw in the high 60-meter marks all season.
“The main difference from last year is that I have been injury free,” Runarsdottir said. “That has helped a lot. So keeping myself injury free and working consistently at the highest level as I possibly can has made the difference for me.”
Runarsdottir entered the Outdoor Championships with the highest mark during the regular season with a throw of 70.33 meters thrown at the Bobcat Invitational. Runarsdottir also threw over 70 meters at the Texas Invitational.
Setting high marks during the season gave Runarsdottir the confidence to not only compete at the national meet, but to win it as well.
“I knew I had it in me,” Runarsdottir said. “I had thrown over 70 meters before the [national meet]. I knew if I just trusted what I had been doing at practice and just did my thing, I would hit a big throw. Even though it wasn’t a big throw I was hoping for, it was enough to get the job done.”
Runarsdottir not only set the mark in the Hammer Throw but also a new personal record.
On her third throw during the prelims, Runarsdottir threw 70.47 meters to beat her own record and set a new Icelandic record in the Hammer Throw, which she also owned.
“I kinda saw the throw hit over 70 meters, but I didn’t think it was a [personal best],” Runarsdottir said. “But seeing the PB pop up on the screen, I was really surprised that it was that far. But I was happy because it was my third throw so going into the finals with that big throw and being the only thrower going over 70 meters was a great feeling.”
Despite having set a new personal and national record, Runarsdottir was still nervous that it wasn’t going to be enough.
“I obviously wanted to do better,” Runarsdottir said. “I was still stressed because the other athletes were looking great. I was trying to keep my mind off [of the fact that] they could also hit a big PB. Anyone can hit a big PB during big competitions, so I just focused on what I could do.
“I knew I had to be confident in what I was doing,” Runarsdottir said. “I knew if somebody was going to hit a bigger mark, I would get annoyed and go all in. I went all in on my last throw; unfortunately it was a foul, but it felt like a great throw. I know I have something bigger in the tank if not for this season but the next one.”
But no-one could top Runarsdottir’s throw with no competitor reaching the 70-meter mark to seal the national championship.
“I knew before my last throw I was going to be the national champion,” Runarsdottir said. “It was an unreal feeling that I actually made it. I [achieved] a goal I made throughout the entire season.”
Despite being thousands of miles away and being seven hours ahead, Runarsdottir’s family and friends supported and cheered her on during the event.
“They were all really happy for me,” Runarsdottir said. “It was really late in Iceland, but they stayed up and watched. They were so happy because they knew this was my goal for this season, and I was going into this meet with the intention to win it. Even though I did not say it outloud, they know me well enough that this was my goal. They were really happy and proud.”
cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc
