By Amy Tennery Reuters
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Shelby Houlihan qualified for the World Indoor Championships on Saturday after a four-year doping ban that she challenged with the now-infamous “burrito defense,” finishing second behind Nikki Hiltz in the 3,000 metres at the U.S. trials.

Once considered a promising medal contender for the United States, Houlihan missed the last two Olympics in Tokyo and Paris while serving a four-year ban for testing positive for an anabolic steroid.

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Houlihan has always maintained her innocence, saying she believed the positive result was likely caused by organ meat in a pork burrito that she ate, and she fought the ban in the days leading up to the 2021 U.S. trials in a dramatic saga.

“Honestly, not as much nerves as I thought,” said Houlihan, who received a warm reception from the home crowd at Staten Island’s Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex.

“Doing time trials the last four years, I just wanted to race.”

Houlihan took the early lead and stayed at the front of the pack for nearly the entire race, looking poised to cruise to victory before Hiltz turned on the jets over the last two laps.

The pair battled through the final straight in a thrilling sprint finish, with Hiltz breaking the tape in 8:48.28 and Houlihan crossing the line 0.15 seconds slower. Whittni Morgan (8:48.56) was third.

“I just wanted to get outside my comfort zone,” said Hiltz, who took silver in the 1,500m world indoors last year and uses they/them pronouns. “I’m just happy I had another gear.”

Hiltz told reporters they would not compete at the World Athletics Indoor Championships which run from March 21-23 in Nanjing, China, choosing instead to focus on racing in start-up Grand Slam Track.

Houlihan, who won her first three races back this year in Arkansas and Boston and plans to compete in Sunday’s 1,500 metres, said she was “not naive” that she could face more hostile crowds in the future.

“It’s been nice that the ones so far have been positive,” said Houlihan. “But I feel prepared if it’s not.”