Shannon Osika

Osika is from Waterford, Michigan where she attended Mott High School and was a Michigan High School Athletic Association Division I cross country champion.{{cite web|url=https://www.livingstondaily.com/story/sports/college/2014/10/09/anna-pasternak-key-runner-michigan/16991243/|title=Anna Pasternak key runner for No. 1 Michigan|website=Livingston Daily}}{{cite web|url=https://my.mhsaa.com/Sports/Girls-Cross-Country/Individual-Champions/Division-1-Class-A|title=Individual Champions|website=Michigan High School Athletic Association}} Her parents, P.J. Osika and Andrea Bowman, were collegiate milers at Eastern Michigan University and they competed at the 1988 United States Olympic trials.{{cite web|url=https://www.theoaklandpress.com/2016/06/30/shannon-osika-continues-family-olympic-trials-legacy/|title=Shannon Osika continues family Olympic Trials legacy|website=The Oakland Press}}

Halfway through the 2011–2012 season, Osika enrolled at Michigan University,{{cite web|url=https://www.michigandaily.com/uncategorized/standout-sophomore-shannon-osika-poised-lead-future-michigan-running/|title= Standout sophomore Shannon Osika poised to lead future of Michigan running |website=The Michigan Daily}} where she competed on the Michigan Wolverines track and field team until 2015 under coach Mike McGuire—who also coached her parents in the 1980s. While at Michigan, Osika ran five NCAA national track finals and two cross country national races, with a best finish of 3rd at the 2015 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships distance medley relay.{{cite web|url=https://mgoblue.com/news/2015/3/13/Distance_Medley_Relay_Takes_Third_at_NCAA_Indoors|title=Distance Medley Relay Takes Third at NCAA Indoors|website=Michigan Wolverines}} At the 2012 NACAC Cross Country Championships, Osika competed in the U20 race and won the race for the United States, leading her team to a victory over Canada as well.{{cite web|url=https://mgoblue.com/news/2012/3/19/Osika_s_NACAC_Junior_Race_Title_Propels_Team_USA_to_Victory|title=Osika's NACAC Junior Race Title Propels Team USA to Victory|website=Michigan Wolverines}}

Osika achieved her first national top-three finish in the 1500 m at the 2018 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, behind Shelby Houlihan and Colleen Quigley.{{cite web|url=https://citiusmag.com/articles/usatf-indoor-championships-results-1500-meters-shelby-houlihan|title=Houlihan unleashes a monster kick, melts the entire field’s collective face|website=Citius Mag}} Although the United States could only send two athletes to compete at the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships, Houlihan had initially stated she would only run the 3000 metres at the world championships, opening up a spot for Osika to run at her first track and field world championship. However, Houlihan later decided to run in both events, blocking out Osika from the spot.{{cite web|url=https://citiusmag.com/articles/shelby-houlihan-2018-world-indoor-championships|title=Shelby Houlihan’s Focus|website=Citius Mag}} During the outdoor season, Osika was selected for the 2018 NACAC Championships team, where she won a silver medal in the 1500 m.{{cite web|url=https://www.runnerspace.com/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=44531&do=news&news_id=541721|title=Rising Star Osika To Cap Successful Season At New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile – RRW|website=RunnerSpace}}

In 2019, Osika was selected to run on the mixed 4 × 1 km relay at the 2019 World Cross Country Championships. Running second leg, the team finished 4th behind Ethiopia, Morocco, and Kenya.{{cite web|url=https://trackandfieldnews.com/article/the-course-is-the-star-at-world-xc-champs/|title=The Course Is The Star At World XC Champs|website=Track & Field News}}

At the 2021 United States Olympic trials, Osika qualified for the finals of the 1500 m and placed fourth, just outside the top-three to be selected for the 2021 U.S. Olympic team.

On 11 February 2022, Osika was part of the Nike Union Athletics Club team that set an indoor world record in the distance medley relay, with a time of 10:39.91 at the Lilac Grand Prix.{{cite web|url=https://bringbackthemile.com/athletes/detail/shannon_osika|title=Shannon Osika : Athletes : Bring Back the Mile|website=Bring Back the Mile}} The record was only briefly held, as it was overtaken by New Balance running 10:33 on 15 April later that year.{{cite web|url=https://runningmagazine.ca/sections/runs-races/new-balance-all-stars-break-distance-medley-relay-world-record-in-boston/|title= New Balance All-Stars break distance medley relay world record in Boston |website=Canadian Running}}

Osika is sponsored by Nike, Inc.

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Category:Living people

Category:1993 births

Category:American female middle-distance runners

Category:21st-century American sportswomen

Category:Sportspeople from Waterford, Michigan

Category:Michigan Wolverines women's track and field athletes

Category:Michigan Wolverines women's cross country runners

Category:World record setters in athletics (track and field)