IU freshman carries torch in Terre Haute

As a soccer player at Bloomington High School South, Stephanie Rohl's experiences were marked by injuries and hard times. But when she was upset she knew that her friend, IU freshman Sarah Hall would be there to push her to keep going.\nYesterday afternoon the roles were reversed. Rohl stood at the "finish line" supporting Hall as the IU freshman carried the Olympic Torch as part of the torch relay leading up to the Salt Lake City Winter games. As the person who nominated Hall for the run, Rohl took the place reserved by relay organizers for a "special person" present to motivate the runner.\n"I definitely needed her there," Hall said. "This all happened because of her."\nHall ran with the torch through the streets of Terre Haute for about two tenths of a mile. The torch relay runs from Atlanta, where the last U.S.-based Olympic games were held, to Salt Lake City. On the trip, torch bearers will run, walk, jog and bike the torch through 46 states and cover over 13,500 miles. The Olympic Flame was ignited by the sun's rays in Olympia, Greece and is being kept in a lantern that travels with the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Torch Relay. The Flame is a symbol of the peace and unity promoted by the Olympic games.\nWaking up at 5 a.m., Hall drove to Terre Haute to meet the other participants in yesterday's torch relay and to prepare for her run with the torch.\n"It was amazing," Hall said of her part in the relay. "It was just an overall great experience and a great day."\nAlthough they come in every age, size and from every walk of life, the torchbearers all have one thing in common -- they are considered an inspiration to the person who nominated them.\nSince first meeting while running laps together at a practice, Rohl said Hall has always pushed her to reach her goals. \n"She always inspired me to do good in everything," Rohl said. "She's a great athlete, a great person and she's always willing to give her time."\nLast spring Rohl saw commercials on television asking people to write in candidates they felt were deserving of participating in the torch relay. According to the Olympic Web site, people could send nominations for torchbearers to Chevrolet, Coca-Cola or the Salt Lake Olympics Committee. Winners were chosen by a selection committee or through a lottery. In order to get Hall considered, Rohl had to write a 50-100 word essay about how her friend was an inspiration to her.\n"I wrote it a couple of times. It kept being long because I had so many things to say," Rohl said. "I described how we met. I described her personality and how she's this awesome student and awesome athlete."\nThis fall Hall received a package in the mail informing her that she had been nominated and asking her to fill out forms. She remembered that Rohl had nominated her but was "totally surprised" that she was actually picked.\n"I get so emotional when I think about it. I didn't know Steph thought of me in this way," Hall said. "Just thinking of all the many people in the U.S. who may be so much better, I feel so blessed and just hope I can carry myself and the torch in the best way possible and make people proud of the U.S. and the Olympics."\nDuring the weeks leading up to her run, Hall joked that she has been "working out" to carry the approximately three-pound torch. She has also had to endure countless friends telling her "don't drop the torch!"\nIn addition to the clothing she wore when participating in the relay, Hall can purchase the torch she carried. She also received a catalog selling other Olympic-related products including a torch stand.\n"I'm thinking about actually getting the torch stand because I don't know what I'm going to do with it," she said. "I'm thinking about getting it at the end and setting it up in a cool place."\nRegardless of what she ends up doing with her torch, Hall said participating in the torch relay has reaffirmed the meaning of the Olympic Flame for her.\n"It's definitely about unity," she said. "and the fact that it's going all across the country bringing everyone together for the Olympics"