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Former Shepherd Hill Regional track star Emma Sullivan hasn’t turned professional yet, but on July 12, she ran against a pro field for the first time in her specialty, the 800, at the Edmonton Athletics Invitational, and showed she is ready for the next level of competition.
Sullivan won the race in 2 minutes, .09 seconds, a personal record.
“It was an amazing experience,” Sullivan said in an interview from her college alma mater, Kennesaw State, where she had just finished a workout. “I’m super thankful.”
Edmonton was Sullivan’s first international race.
Sullivan earned her bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from KSU in December 2024, and she completed her eligibility in indoor and outdoor track this year while obtaining her coaching certificate.
Sullivan, who was an eight-time T&G Super Team all-star in cross-country and track and field at Shepherd Hill, is preparing for the USATF Open Nationals in New York, July 23-26. It will be the final time she represents Kennesaw State, and she has a lofty, but certainly attainable, goal – to break 2 minutes.
“I’ve been so incredibly close,” Sullivan said. “To run 1:59, if I do that, all my dreams would be complete. I’m definitely aiming for it, and it would be a great way to go out in my KSU uniform. Hopefully I can get that done.”
Sullivan, who recovered from a torn Achilles’ tendon, placed 19th in the 800 at the 2025 NCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, with a time of 2:05.71.
She returned to the NCAAs this spring and ran a PR of 2:00.37 in her semifinal, but she just missed out on the final. For the first time in the meet’s history, all eight final qualifiers broke 2 minutes.
“That’s definitely insane, considering my time that I ran at nationals would have made the final a year ago,” Sullivan said. “For everyone to run sub-2 minutes to make the final is a pretty big deal.”
Sullivan’s family was there to see her finish 12th, and as she proved last week in Edmonton, she just keeps getting faster.
“My confidence continues to grow,” Sullivan said. “The pieces are coming together and it’s really exciting. I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in. I’m very strong, I’m very fit and Edmonton is another plus-one before I head into USAs. I’m super excited to see what I do.”
Sullivan, who began her collegiate career at Jacksonville State, missed most of her junior indoor and outdoor track seasons at Kennesaw State because of the torn Achilles’ tendon. The injury took a physical and mental toll on her, and at one point she questioned if she would run again.
Sullivan poured everything into her rehab and recovery.
Since returning, she has had no setbacks.
“I’m happy,” Sullivan said, “and I’ve been super healthy all year.”
Sullivan is a six-time Conference USA gold medalist and a two-time All-American, and she is a multiple KSU record holder.
After the USATF Open Nationals, Sullivan plans to turn professional. When her running career is over, she hopes to teach kindergarten and coach, possibly at the Division 1 college level.
“I’m going into USAs with ‘last one (as an amateur and representing KSU), best one’ vibes,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan, whose family now lives in Florida, has kept in close contact with her former Shepherd Hill coaches, Nicole Fossas and Len Harmon.
“They text me all the time,” Sullivan said. “I feel with everything starting to wind down (collegiately), I always remind them all of this would not be possible without them. I’m thankful for both of them.”
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Former Shepherd Hill track star Emma Sullivan piling up accolades
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