CALLING THE SHOTS:

It was just an ordinary high school dual meet, but leave it to Sharon Day to do something extraordinary.

There are several stories I could share with you about Day and they would convey the reasons why she’ll become an Olympian on Friday. But this one is most special to me. Maybe because of its simplicity, but probably more because it captures Day’s passion at such a young age.

It happened at that ordinary high school track and field meet in April 2001. That was back when Day was a sophomore at Costa Mesa High.

Day, running anchor in the 1,600-meter relay, trailed by nearly 50 meters when she was handed the baton to run the final leg.

You think she won?

Do the Olympics take place every four years?

Of course.

But my favorite part of that event was the crowd’s reaction. Not so much the crowd, but Day’s teammates, coaches and opponents. They all had a stunned look and were surprised, much like the college baseball world was recently when Fresno State won the NCAA championship.

After the race, Costa Mesa Coach John Carney asked me, “Did she really just do that?”

Then, Day asked me politely to not mention that she had been competing with shin splints.

Typical Sharon Day.

It was just another regular day for Day, who won three events in that dual meet against Northwood.

Now she is on the cusp of achieving her dream of making the Olympics.

Monday, she took one step closer, advancing to the women’s high jump finals at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Ore. She cleared 5 feet, 10 1/2 inches and 5-11 1/2 , both on her first attempts.

Day needs to finish in the top three in Friday’s finals, that begin at 7:30 p.m., to become an Olympian. That’s because she met the Olympic “A” qualifying standard with her mark of 6-4 3/4 in May. That’s when she won her third Big West Conference title.

Remarkable, considering Day had to sit out a year after a foot injury. A freak accident in December of 2005 — Day said she tripped over a curb, unknowingly fracturing her fifth metatarsal — eventually tested her resolve.

But true to form, she bounced back.

On June 13, she ended her decorated collegiate career — which included a successful run in women’s soccer at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo — with a second-place finish in the high jump at the NCAA championships. She missed walking in her college graduation to compete at the NCAA meet.

“I was totally fine with it,” said Day, the Mustangs’ seven-time All-American who majored in kinesiology. “It’s not a big deal. I’ve done it before in high school. Hey, I still graduated.”

She entered the Olympic trials as the fourth seed in the high jump. If she finishes fourth, she’ll be an alternate, just like fellow Costa Mesa alumna Zoila Gomez, an alternate in the women’s marathon.

It would be a nice story for Costa Mesa to have two Olympians. But Day doesn’t want alternate status

“It’s hard not to think about it,” Day said of finishing in the top three. “To get that top three spot would be amazing.”

Something to keep in mind as Day competes Friday. She’s just getting over a tough bout with a sinus infection.

Of course, that news is not from Day. I’m sure she wouldn’t want us to know that. But her younger sister, Jasmin, told me.

Jasmin also competed in the high jump Monday. She did not qualify for the finals, missing on her first attempt at 5-10 1/2 . But Jasmin was mainly there for the experience of competing in big-time meet.

She was also excited to be able to compete with her older sister.

“It’s pretty awesome to compete with her at the U.S. Olympic trials,” Jasmin said. “Not a lot of people can say that they competed with their sister on that level.”

After Friday, Sharon is hoping to take it to the next level.

STEVE VIRGEN may be reached at (714) 966-4616 or by e-mail at steve.virgen@latimes.com.