Running: Zelinka is good to go

Wednesday, July 02, 2008 - 05:47 PM

Mary Caton, Windsor Star
Published: Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Essex County got an early glimpse of Jessica Zelinka's looming potential when she won an OFSAA gold medal at Sandwich in 2000.

She returns to the University of Windsor Stadium for the Canadian Olympic Trials beginning Thursday as one of Canada's best hopes to end a 12-year drought by winning a medal in Beijing later this summer.

Now a 26-year-old heptathlete, Zelinka is the Canadian record holder and reigning Pan Am champion.

Gold at the Summer Games is up for grabs following a decision by Sweden's Carolina Kluft, the defending world and Olympic champion, not to compete in Beijing.

Zelinka is ranked fourth in the world in a demanding discipline that requires proficiency in the 100-metre hurdles, the high jump, the shot put, the 200-metres, the long jump, the javelin and the 800 metres.

"I don't think I've had better talent or a better athlete than Jessica," said Les Gramantik, Canada's head Olympic coach and also Zelinka's prep coach at the University of Calgary.

"She's a world-rated heptathlete who's climbed pretty fast but she's one that I thought could be on the podium."

Without Kluft in the mix, the remaining field in women's heptathlon is extremely tight with only a few hundred points making the difference between first and eighth.

NO PRESSURE

Having attained Athletics Canada's A standard for Olympic selection earlier in the year, Zelinka needs to finish in the top four in Windsor to assure herself a spot on the team.

Basically, with the pressure off, the native of London, Ont., can focus all her attention on Beijing in August.

"I've got to take a leap of faith," Zelinka said of her Olympic moment.

"It's been four years of preparations for these Olympics.

"The field is very close. It's whoever really executes on that day. I think it's going to come down to believing in yourself and knowing what you can do."

Young by heptathlon standards, Zelinka has already shown an ability to dominate.

She was named the 2007 Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) female athlete of the year for her commanding performance at the nationals in McGill.

All she did was win five gold medals to personally beat out the University of Windsor team for the women's national team title.

"That was quite amazing to watch," Windsor coach Dennis Fairall said.

CHECK OUT OLYMPIC TRACK

Athletics Canada thinks so highly of Zelinka that she was one of a handful of athletes sent to China last fall

to familiarize themselves with the venue.

"I really wanted to go into the stadium but it wasn't ready," Zelinka said.

"But it was still good to see the (athletes) village and the warmup area.

"I can picture it now in my mind. I know what to expect. I'll be in a good place because all the work is being done now."