TEMPE, Ariz. -- On Saturday, Feb. 20, former Sun Devil National Champion Shelby Houlihan ran in her first 5,000-meter race at the 109th annual Millrose Games in New York.
Houlihan, who is now training with Nike's Bowerman Track Club in Portland, Oregon, placed fifth in her first-ever attempt with a time of 15:06.22 -- the sixth-fastest time on the U.S. All-Time Indoor list for the 5K.
"I think we already knew long ago that if she had an opportunity to run a competitive 5K with nothing else before the event, she was capable of doing this," said cross country and distance coach Louie Quintana, who coached her throughout her Sun Devil tenure. "Last year she was capable of running under 15:20, and she ended up running 15:49 an hour after she ran 4:09 in the 1500 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships -- in the wind and definitely difficult conditions to score. So it doesn't surprise me."
While her former coach was not surprised, the track world was, as Houlihan topped her previous best in the event by a whopping 40 seconds.
"I think there is a lot more there," said Quintana. "She's going to run the 3K at the USA Championships in March in Portland. But I think they're gearing her more towards running that distance -- the 5K -- at the Olympic Trials. That's the Olympic Standard though, so she has the standard now. Going into the trials, she needs to be in the top three and she's going (to the Olympics)."
The Olympics is the end goal for Houlihan, but competing in the Millrose Games is right up there in elite class. It's one of the oldest national meets in the country.
"That's one of the mainstays in United States track and field history," Quintana said. "You have the Millrose Games, the Pent Relays, Drake Relays, Mt. SAC Relays -- those are just staple meets that have been around for 100 years. Millrose is in New York City and used to be at Madison Square Garden."
About four years ago, the Millrose Games were moved to The Armory -- which has been a staple in U.S. track and field history for more than 100 years itself.
"That's what makes that meet so exceptional," Quintana said. "It's historic and for her to go there and in her first 5K she runs the 6th-best all-time, it's kind of like 'Okay, guess I'm pretty good at this." That typically happens with a good athlete like that when they make a breakthrough.
"For her, there is a lot more room to grow and to continue to improve her fitness. She's 22 years old, her upside is tremendous."