HOUSTON (July 17) - Sandra Glover will be looking to become the third former University of Houston track and field star to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team on Monday, July 17. Glover, who was the top-ranked American in 1999, had the fastest time in the women's 400-meter hurdles with 53.87 seconds in the semifinals despite easing up in the final stretch of the race.

A second-grade school teacher in Houston, Glover will be challenged by Michelle Johnson, Tonja Buford-Bailey and 1996 Olympic Silver medallist Kim Batten. Batten finished second in the first heat of the semifinals behind Glover with a time of 55.07 seconds.

Buford-Bailey won the second heat in a time of 55.30 to edge out Johnson who finished second in a time of 55.46 seconds. Batten holds the world record in 52.61.

If Glover finished among the top three hurdlers tonight, she would join Michelle Collins and Dawn Burrell as members of the U.S. Olympic team that will compete in Sidney, Australia on September 15-October 1.

Collins finished third in the 400 meters on Sunday in a time of 50.29 seconds. Burrell, who is the younger sister of current UH head coach Leroy Burrell, finished second in the long jump with a leap of 20 feet, 10 1/2 inches.