RICHMOND, Ky. - Despite having to run more than three-fourths of the race with just one shoe, Eastern Kentucky University track standout Jamie King, a senior from Botkins, OH, was still able to collect her fourth NCAA Division I Track All-American award this past weekend by finishing seventh in the 1,500-meter run at the 1999 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship held at Boise State University.

Just into the first of four laps in the finals, King's right heel was stepped on from behind, knocking her shoe from her foot. But this did not deter King, who ran the rest of the race with one shoe and was able to defeat seven of the 14 athletes in the field.

King, who qualified for the finals Saturday night by finishing third in her heat on Thursday with a time of 4:24.48, ran a 4:26.87 in the finals. Mary Jane Harrelson of Appalachian State won the event in a time of 4:21.06.

"This was just an awesome show of courage and dedication to run three-quarters of a mile with just one shoe," said EKU head track and cross country coach Rick Erdmann who accompanied King to Boise for the finals and witnessed this unusual occurrence. "And the amazing part is she not only completed the race, but she was able to defeat seven runners and make All-American again.

"I think most people would have just given in to the pain and discomfort, but not Jamie. I don't believe I have ever seen just a great effort."

King received All-American status in 1998 by finishing eighth in the 1,500 meters and in 1997 by placing 10^th in the same event at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Her third NCAA All-American award came in 1998 when she set a school record in the indoor mile by placing third at the NCAA Indoor Championships with a time of 4:42.90.

A six-time winner of the Ohio Valley Conference Female Athlete of the Year Award in the sports of cross country (twice), indoor track (twice) and outdoor track (twice), King also holds school records in the indoor 800-meter run (2:08.21) and the outdoor 800-meter run (2:06.19).

She has the second fastest all-time 1,500-meter run in school history with her 4:17.76, just a notch below Pam Raglin's school record of 4:16.84 set in 1986.

After giving her foot time to recover, King plans to resume training for a possible appearance in the June 25-27 United States Track and Field Championships in Eugene, OR.