Riley Places Sixth in 400m Hurdles Prelims; Advances to Finals on Saturday
EMPORIA, KS - Claflin University sophomore
Jaevon Riley opened the 2024 NCAA Division II Men's Outdoor Track & Field National Championship Meet on a high note when he placed sixth in the event and qualified to compete in the event finals, Saturday afternoon.
Riley earned his spot in the men's 400m hurdles finals with a great showing in the preliminary round of the event. He placed second in the opening heat with a 51.84. He held the lead late in the heat, but was edged out in the final sprint for the top spot. His time was the sixth best among the competitors and earned him a spot in the event finals as the top eight finishers in the preliminary round of the event qualified to compete for the national title on Saturday.
With his finals qualification, Riley became the first Claflin Panther to reach the national championship finals since 2019 when former Panthers Derick St. Jean and Davion McKnight-Allen reached the finals in their respective events. St. Jean placed fifth in the men's 400m dash finals while McKnight-Allen placed fifth in the men's 100m dash.
Riley will be back on the track tomorrow, as he will compete as a member of the Panthers' 4x400m relay team. The men's 4x400m relay is set for a 7:50 p.m. start, tomorrow evening. The finals of the men's 400m hurdles are scheduled for a 4:10 p.m. start on Saturday.
For more information on Panthers track & field, contact the Claflin University Office of Athletics Media Relations at (803) 535-5548 or log on to
www.athletics.claflin.edu.
