Background

Going into the 2004 Olympic Trials, 8-time Georgetown All-American Treniere Clement was still flying under the track-and-field radar, running in the shadow of bigger names, and that was fine with her. “I feel there’s a lot more in me,” she said then. “When I do well, I’ll be able to turn some heads.”

She did exactly that in 2005, winning her first national title at 1500m. It was sweet justice after the 2004 Trials semifinal, when she was heartbroken after falling a few meters from the end and failing to advance despite a dramatic crawl across the finish line. Since then, Treniere has used the mishap as motivation, slashing 9 seconds off her personal best and twice defending her national title. “It took me a long time to get over it,” she said in a recent interview. “I saw the line there and it was heartbreaking. In 2005, the motivation was out of the roof. After that, I knew I had a lot more in me than what I had been running."

In the past few seasons, Treniere has emerged as a threat at 800 meters as well, setting a personal best of 1:59.15 at the Reebok Grand Prix in 2007. While she's focused for now on that 4-minute barrier for 1500m, Treniere says she loves the 800 equally. "Don't be surprised to see me in both the 800 and 1500 one year" at a championship, she says.

Treniere is engaged to Paul Moser, a former Villanova track athlete. They plan to be married on Oct. 10, 2009.