Swedish Runner Says She’s Headed for UCI

Maria Akraka, a three-time Swedish national champion and world-class 800-meter runner, said Wednesday she is planning to enroll at UC Irvine and compete for the Anteaters’ track and cross-country teams.

Akraka, 23, a junior transfer from Iowa State, moved to Irvine last Wednesday with her boyfriend, world-class hurdler Danny Harris, in hopes of attending UC Irvine.

Harris, who was a three-time NCAA intermediate hurdle champion at Iowa State, is competing for Nike International and will be training at UC Irvine’s track. Harris is best-known for ending Edwin Moses’ 10-year victory streak.

Because UC Irvine already has used its women’s track scholarships, Akraka must wait until other financial aid is worked out. Although the NCAA allows a university to offer as many as 16 scholarships for women’s track and cross-country, Irvine offers three.

Akraka attended Iowa State for two years, from January 1987 until February 1989, competing for the Cyclones in indoor and outdoor track and one cross-country season. Her best time in the 800, 2 minutes 1.67 seconds, which she ran in August 1988 at Sweden, is more than two seconds faster than the winning time of the NCAA women’s final last June.

Because Iowa State Coach Dick Lee honored Akraka’s request to be released from her scholarship last year, Akraka will have two years of eligibility remaining in track and three years in cross-country, NCAA spokesman Shane Lyons said.

If all goes well, Akraka could be competing in an Anteater uniform as early as Feb. 17, the date of UC Irvine’s home opener against UC San Diego and Cal Poly Pomona.

Akraka, whose mother is Swedish and father is Nigerian, said she left Iowa State because she wanted to see a different part of the United States. “I liked Iowa State,” she said. “But I’d been there for two years. I wanted to experience another part of the country.”

Akraka, who was born in London but grew up in Stockholm, said she considered attending UCLA.

“I thought about it, but I didn’t want to stay in L.A.,” she said. “I talked to (UCLA women’s coach) Bob Kersee, but nothing really was worked out. He should’ve called me back, but he didn’t. Anyway, I really like it here.”

Providing she does enroll at Irvine and is eligible to compete, Akraka would probably be the most talented athlete in the program’s history.

“If she’s eligible for UCI, she should be a force to be reckoned with,” said Jon Hendershott, editor of Track & Field News. “She’s definitely for real.”

Akraka placed seventh in the NCAA 800 final in 1987 and 1988, and is strong in cross-country as well. She placed 30th in the 1988 NCAA cross-country championships.

“She’ll (offer Irvine) immediate visibility, national prominence, and bring up the level of the other competitors who are here,” said Danny Williams, UCI women’s track and field coach.