Tragedy Strikes BYU
BYU track athlete Chelsi Petersen was killed early this morning in an automobile accident in Provo Canyon.
According to the Utah Highway Patrol, the freshman from St. George was a passenger in a vehicle attempting a left-hand turn onto Squaw Peak Road when it turned into the path of an oncoming vehicle. According to reports, Petersen died at the scene. Former BYU sprinter Paul Smith, who is preparing to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials this month in Eugene, Ore., was driving the vehicle. He was taken to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in serious condition.
"Words cannot begin to express our feelings," BYU head women's track coach Craig Poole said. "It's devastating. Chelsi was one of the sweetest young ladies we have ever had on our team. She had a tremendous desire to be successful. She wanted to be here at BYU, competing, more than anything else in the world. It's just really too difficult to comprehend at the moment."
Petersen recently finished seventh in the heptathlon at the Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track & FIeld Championships. She totaled a career-best 4,883 points over the seven different events.
"Chelsi was a bright, up-and-coming athlete," Poole said. "More importantly, however, she was a tremendous person."
According to the Utah Highway Patrol, the freshman from St. George was a passenger in a vehicle attempting a left-hand turn onto Squaw Peak Road when it turned into the path of an oncoming vehicle. According to reports, Petersen died at the scene. Former BYU sprinter Paul Smith, who is preparing to compete in the U.S. Olympic Trials this month in Eugene, Ore., was driving the vehicle. He was taken to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in serious condition.
"Words cannot begin to express our feelings," BYU head women's track coach Craig Poole said. "It's devastating. Chelsi was one of the sweetest young ladies we have ever had on our team. She had a tremendous desire to be successful. She wanted to be here at BYU, competing, more than anything else in the world. It's just really too difficult to comprehend at the moment."
Petersen recently finished seventh in the heptathlon at the Mountain West Conference Outdoor Track & FIeld Championships. She totaled a career-best 4,883 points over the seven different events.
"Chelsi was a bright, up-and-coming athlete," Poole said. "More importantly, however, she was a tremendous person."
12:29 PM
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1 Comments:
It is painful for me to ponder the fact that this beautiful and talented young woman has lost her life. I don't know what else to say, other than I believe that she is well and truly in a better place. I suppose the real tragedy exists in the lives of her loved ones that must now press on without her. May God bless and comfort them.
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