BEIJING -- Greenwood's Anna Willard qualified for Sunday morning's Olympic women's steeplechase finals on Friday, earning a spot with the 11th fastest time in three qualifying heats at the National Stadium.

Willard finished sixth in her heat, but her time of 9:28.52 was enough to get her among the 15 finalists.

She didn't find out she had qualified until she reached the mixed zone, where reporters were waiting to interview her.

"It was nervewracking, what else can I say,'' she said. "I'm (waiting in the stadium) and just like, 'Please put it up on board.'
"I was standing outside for a while, then I said to myself that they probably have TVs inside where I can find out.''

She really had no clue she made it. The top four runners in each heat qualified for the finals, with the next three fastest times. Willard had the third fastest time that wasn't an automatic qualifier.

She was among the lead pack early, but fell behind with about three laps to go and could never catch up.

"I just was trying my hardest,'' she said. "I don't know if I started feeling worse or they were picking it up. I was just trying my best.''

Sunday's finals will begin at 9:30 a.m. EST.