Fordham University junior Kerri Gallagher set the school record for 800 meters with a time of 2:08:56 at the Valentine’s Day Classic at Boston University. Gallagher, who finished first in the event, besting 164 other competitors, broke All-American Lauren Gubicza’s school record of 2:10.76. Gallagher’s performance earned her Atlantic 10 Indoor Women's Track & Field Performer of the Week.
The 2007 graduate of
Bishop Kearney (Brooklyn, N.Y.), was happy to break the mark. “I knew the record going into the race was 2:10, so as soon as I finished I looked up at the scoreboard and knew I had it,” Gallagher said. “It was incredible to see; it seemed so unreal. My main goal was to finish under 2:14 to qualify for the ECAC.”
The time is not only a Fordham record , but the performance exceeded the NCAA provisional mark to enable Gallagher to qualify for the ECAC championships. She, along with Elisabeth Warren, Sheena Parand, and Brigid Moriarty, also qualified for the ECAC championship distance medley relay. The team posted a season-best time of 12:08.10.
Gallagher stuck to her race strategy in the 800. She stayed among the front of the pack for the first two and a half laps, before breaking to the lead. She ran a brilliant final lap, running away from the field. Gallagher was pleased with her effort. “The goal was to let the race carry me through, until the second half, where I could see where I could go,” Gallagher said.
Gallagher, the team’s captain, was part of Fordham’s 4x800 relay team which set the school record, last season, with a time of 8:54.18
Prior to attending Fordham, Gallagher ran for three seasons at Bishop Kearney. During her high school career, she set seven school records; the 800m, 1,000m and 3,000m, the steeplechase, and the 4x400 and 4x800 relays. She also captured the cross country record for the 2.5 mile run. Gallagher was named a CHSAA first team, cross country all-star, and was the Brooklyn/Queens champion in four different events.
