UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 15, Page 5
December 14, 1995
UD junior prepares for 1996 Summer Olympic Games

     University junior Terri Dendy doesn't plan to watch the 1996
Summer Olympic Games on television. On June 14, she'll be running in
the qualifying trials to become a member of the U.S. Track Team that
will compete in Atlanta this summer.
     After missing qualifying for the 1984 Olympics by 0.3 of a second
in the 200-meter dash, Dendy said she realized "the Olympics were
within reach," and became an alternate for the U.S. team in the 1988
Seoul Summer Olympics.
     The '88 Olympic contingent was the first major team that Dendy
made. Even as an alternate she said it was very exciting. "It was
disappointing at the same time, because I didn't get to run. "
     Dendy is not the only athlete in the family. Her two brothers ran
in high school, and a younger sister who runs for Wilmington's Concord
High School holds several state records.
     She started running by a fluke, by racing her brothers as a
child.
     "I don't like to advertise that I'm training for the Olympics,"
she said, "When people ask me if I'm fast, I don't like to admit it,
because I don't want to be given any special attention for what I've
achieved."
     Dendy ran at Concord High School and competed for George Mason
University, where she received her first undergraduate degree in parks
and recreation and leisure activities. Currently, she is studying at
Delaware for a second undergraduate degree, in physical education.
     Dendy, who underwent knee surgery in 1994, trains two hours a
day. Her two events are the 200-meter and 400-meter dash, which she
runs in 23 seconds and 51 seconds, respectively.
     According to Dendy, the worst part of training is running
distances longer than the 400-meter in order to build her endurance.
"Running is a lot of sacrifice and dedication," Dendy said, "I may
complain, but I know it's for a purpose." She said she is working on
her sprinting at Glasgow High School, until it becomes too cold and
she will move indoors to the Bob Carpenter Center.
     "I'm very confident in the training I've been getting," Dendy
said.  Referring to her weight training program she said, "There were
a lot of little things that I didn't do in previous years that I've
come to realize are important."
     This will probably be Dendy's last chance to become a competing
Olympian.  She said 1997 will be her last year in overall competition,
depending on how hard it gets in practice. "I'm ready to start the
next phase of the sport and begin coaching and teaching," Dendy said.
     As for the U.S. Team on the whole, there have been no predictions
as to how well it will do in competition. Yet, according to Dendy,
based on the U.S. running times in recent competition, "It's going to
be a pretty hot race."
     Will there be an Olympic prize in her future?
     "One of the reasons why I have kept running for so long is to
obtain an Olympic medal," Dendy said. "As long as I'm healthy and in
shape, I don't think there's anyone who can beat me!"
                                                       -Susanne Schott