EUGENE, Ore. — The opening day of the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Wednesday was highlighted by three entries advancing to their respective finals. The men’s 4×100 meter relay team, Lafranz Campbell and Giano Roberts each finished in the top-9 of their semifinals at historic Hayward Field.
“It was a pretty good day,” remarked Program Director Mark Elliott. “To make the final of an NCAA Championship is a feat within itself, to be a top-nine athlete in the country is great. Two guys in the hurdles is really good, and of course our 4×100 relay… Our 4×400 ran its second best time of the year, so we’re looking good on the men’s side and we have to make sure we have a good Friday.”
The evening began with the 4×100 team consisting of Roberts, Cameron Rose, Guinove Joanus and Fabian Hewitt running a season-best 38.99 to sneak into finals. Clemson powered around the final turn, and Hewitt sprinted the final leg to force the results to be analyzed to the 100th of a second for the Tigers to finish third in their heat and ninth heading into Friday.
Action continued for the Tigers in the men’s 110-meter hurdles with Campbell and Roberts finishing with the seventh and ninth fastest times of the day in the event, respectively. Campbell led the charge for Clemson finishing second in his heat behind the NCAA leader from Florida State, Trey Cunningham. Campbell clocked in with a 13.48, and Roberts will join him in the event final after running 13.54 to qualify him for his second event final within an hour timeframe.
Devon Brooks (110 hurdles) and Wanya McCoy (200 meters) both finished in the top-16 of their respective events to be named Second Team All-Americans. Brooks, a 2021 110-hurdle All-American honorable mention, finished with a time of 13.68, while McCoy earned the first All-American honor of his career with a time of 20.54.
Amon Thornton ran the 800 in 1:49.57 to be an All-American honorable mention. The 4×400 meter relay concluded action on the first day running 3:03.97, good enough to finish 14th and earn second team honors.
The Clemson women take to the track on Thursday evening with three events beginning at roughly 8:32 p.m. with the 4×100 relay.
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