CIAA Olympic Update for August 4, 2012
London, U.K. -Johnson C. Smith University alumnus Leford Green
now has a chance to medal at the 2012 London Summer Olympics after
advancing to the finals of the 400 meter hurdles on Saturday
afternoon inside Olympic Stadium. Green placed second in Heat Three
with a time of 48.61 as a runner for his native country Jamaica.
The finals will be held on Monday, August 6th at 3:45 p.m.
(EST).
There were three heats in the semifinal round. The top two
finishers automatically qualified for the finals and then the next
two best times. Just as in the opening round, Michael Tinsley (USA)
finished ahead of Green out of Heat Three, clocking a time of
48.18.
Green clearly pulled up on his efforts as he approached the finish
line to take second. He improved on his mark from the opening
round(49.30) and posted a season best time.
Including Tinsley, there will be three Americans in the finals.
Kerron Clement (48.12) and Angelo Taylor (47.95) also advanced to
the finals for the United States out of Heats One and Two,
respectively.
Green has an opportunity on Monday to be the first Olympian from
JCSU to medal since Vince Matthews took gold in the 400m at the1972
Munich Olympics.
Saint Augustine’s University student Dane Hyatt qualified
for the men’s 400 meter semifinals on Saturday morning.
Hyatt, competing for Jamaica, ran the fourth fastest time in
heat three to make the semifinals. He posted a time of 45.14
seconds in the preliminary heats. The top three finishers in each
of the seven heats plus the next three fastest times qualified.
Hyatt will attempt to make the finals on Sunday. The semifinal
round starts at 3:40 p.m. eastern standard time. One of 24
sprinters in the semifinals, Hyatt is scheduled to run in lane two
of the third heat. The finals will be held Monday at 4:30 p.m.
ET.
Hyatt is the 2012 Jamaican national champion in the 400 meters.
He is coached by George Williams, athletic director and legendary
track and field coach at Saint Augustine’s University.
Williams was the head coach of the 2004 U.S. Olympic track and
field team.
Also on Saturday, former St. Aug sprinter Ramon Gittens competed
in the men’s 100 meter preliminary heats. Running for
Barbados, Gittens ran the sixth fastest time in the fifth heat. He
sprinted across the finish line in 10.35 seconds.
Unfortunately, Gittens did not reach the semifinals. The first
three finishers in each of the seven heats and the next three
fastest times qualified.