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Culpepper, Shayne
- Qualified for her second consecutive Olympics when she won the 5,000m event at 2004 Trials
- 2004 World Indoor 3,000m bronze medalist
- 2004 U.S. Indoor 3,000m champion
- 2003 U.S. National cross country 4 km champion
- In 2003, besides capturing the USATF National cross country 4 km crown, was runner-up in 3,000m at the USA Indoor Championships, third at USA Outdoors in 5,000m
- Although Culpepper missed most of the 2002 season due to the birth of her son, she won the USATF Club Cross Country 6 km championship
- Finished fourth at 2000 Olympic Trials; was last-minute replacement in the Olympic 1,500m when Regina Jacobs fell ill; at Sydney, Culpepper finished ninth in her first-round heat
- Took bronze in both the 1,500m at the 1999 USA Outdoors and 3,000m at the 1997 NCAA Championships; multiple-time All-American
- Married to Alan Culpepper, who will be competing for the United States in the marathon at Athens; they have a two-year-old son, Cruz, and they own a graphic design business
- Growing up, competed in gymnastics for ten years, and ran four years of cross country in high school
Although Culpepper ran cross country in high school (under her maiden name of Wille), she didn’t train seriously until she attended the University of Vermont, where in her sophomore year she was the number one runner. Working a summer job in Boulder, she fell in love with the area and transferred to the University of Colorado, where she graduated with a political science degree in 1997. The move sparked her ambition. “Colorado was such a talented team,” she says. “I had a realization that I couldn’t be the best on the team without working out.”
On making the Olympic Team for a second time:
“It’s a dream come true.”
On resuming training after having a baby in 2002:
“By the time nine months passed by . . . I was ready to go, so motivation was not an issue. I think I ran 12 days after I delivered.” —www.fast-women.com
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Height: 5’ 4.5”
Born: 3-Dec-73
Hometown: Haverford, Pa.
Resides: Lafayette, Co.
Sport: Track & Field
Event: 5,000 meters
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