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Sometimes a loss can be just as important as a win. Jennifer Bergman learned that lesson on July 29 when she placed 15th overall in the 1500-meter trials at the Junior Olympic National Championships.
She ran 4:54.59, and the loss convinced her to run a different type of race in the 3000-meter event a day later. She did, and she took third place in 10:22.77, beating her previous best by 15 seconds. The time also earned Bergman All-American honors.
Bergman was a little hesitant to run the 1500-meter the day before she was to run the 3000, but when she finished 15th it sparked something in her that forced her to the next level of performance. She was in 17th after the first lap, but passed runners on every lap of the race. She fended off the fourth-place finisher with a fantastic effort in the final lap.
This race culminates her 2 1/2 years as part of the Los Gatos Athletic Association Track Club. She competed in the Youth Girls Division, which consists of girls ages 13 and 14.
The race was held in Indianapolis, Ind., and Jordan Hasay of the San Luis Distance Club finished first in 9:35.12 with Emily Sisson of the Cornhusker Flyers second in 10:14.23, just a few seconds ahead of Bergman.
Colin Quirke, 15, also of the LGAA Track Club, finished 11th in the shot put in the intermediate boys division (ages 15 and 16). Quirke is a student at Los Gatos high school and was a Central Coast Section finalist in the shot put for the Wildcats last spring as just a freshman.
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