Sitting in fifth place with one event to go, Georgia Ellenwood came through in the clutch.
Ellenwood, a fifth-year senior with the University of Wisconsin track and field team was competing over the weekend at the NCAA indoor track and field championships in College Station, Texas.
And needing a strong showing in the last event, the 22-year-old from Langley delivered a personal best to land on the podium.
The Langley Secondary alum who has represented Canada, finished third with 4,381 points and this marks the fourth time she has earned all-America honours in the pentathlon, becoming just the second Badger to accomplish that feat.
“To medal at the NCAAs is something that I don’t think I can ever really wrap my head around,” Ellenwood said. “I always knew I was capable but to go out there and actually execute is something that I will always be proud of.
“My confidence and mentality are on a different level this year, so I’m happy that it was able to show today.”
She was eighth in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.55 and then had a season-best in the high jump, clearing 1.78m to place fourth. Ellenwood next came sixth in both the shot put with a throw of 12.31m and the long jump (5.96m) to put her two spots out of the podium with one event.
With the pressure of needing a strong showing, Ellenwood delivered in the 800m with a time of 2:14.28 to secure the bronze. Her time was a personal best.
“Great athletes just find a way,” said Mick Byrne, the University of Wisconsin director of track and field.
The bronze medal comes on the heels of Ellenwood capturing the Big Ten indoor pentathlon title on Feb. 23.
Ellenwood and the rest of the Wisconsin team now gets set for the NCAA outdoor season, which gets underway on March 31.
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