EVENTS
 Sportsman of the Year
 Heisman Trophy
 Swimsuit 2001

CNNSI.com GROUP
 Sports Illustrated
 Life of Reilly
 Television
 SI Women
 SI for Kids
 Press Room
 TBS/TNT Sports
 CNN Languages

COMMERCE
 SI Customer Service
 SI Media Kits
 Get into College
 Sports Memorabilia
 TeamStore

Legally blind runner qualifies but admits she messed it up

From Sports Illustrated • SI Images: Photos from the Games • Brian Cazeneuve: Sheets leads U.S. past Cubans • Tim Layden: Track and field notebook • Richard Hoffer: Bennett's career remains promising despite loss • Jack McCallum: Wrestler who sued to make team earns silver | Gardner slays a giant • Leigh Montville: Armstrong chase for gold comes up short this time • John Walters: The Channel Guy -- The Sydney Games have provided a soap-opera spirit • Medal Picks: SI's Predictions More Features • Angelo Taylor Diary: Winning provides a great feeling • Sydney Scene: Luba Vangelova -- Oi, Oi, Oy • Day at a Glance: On track when it counts • Wake-up Call: Tracking the day in sports • Viewers' Guide: Sept. 27 • Quiz: Today's Tester Athletes • Just Checking In: U.S. soccer player Landon Donovan • Athlete Bios: U.S. Rosters Multimedia • Photo Gallery: Shots of the Day • Photo Gallery: Upsets galore • Multimedia Central: Photo Galleries, Video and More

SYDNEY, Sept 27 (AFP) - Legally blind American athlete Marla Runyan qualified for the women's 1500 metres semi-finals here on Wednesday but admitted that she had been very fortunate to get in as one of the fastest losers.

The 32-year-old, who has been suffering from a degenerative eye condition since she was nine years old, was edged out of the sixth and final automatic qualifying place in her heat and had an anxious wait to see if she had made one of the six fastest qualifiers spots.

"There are no excuses, I screwed it up! It's my fault," Runyan said.

"I missed a surge down the finishing straight and I thought I was comfortably in the first six.

"I shouldn't have allowed the race to be run at such a slow pace so all in all a bad day at the office," she added.

Runyan, who says that she became an athlete because the track is one of the few places where she doesn't need to rely on other people, did admit, however, that she hadn't been aware of the other runners crowding around her.

"I didn't see the finish line, but I guess it was such a scrum that not many of the others did either," she said.

"Normally I can't tell distances between myself and the people in front but I can tell by people's breathing if they are coming up on me ... today I didn't and if I repeat that in Thursday's semis then I will be in for a tough time," she added.

Copyright © 2001 CNN/Sports Illustrated An AOL Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines.