In his first outdoor college race, Tennesseee freshman Alexander Osayemi ripped an intermediate hurdles PR Saturday in Starkville, Miss.
Osayemi’s PR coming into the meet was a 52.70 from this past June at the Meet of Champions at Pennsauken as part of a wild triple that saw him win the 400 in a meet-record 46.08, place 3rd in the 200 in 21.43 and take 2nd in the 400 hurdles.
On Saturday, at the Alumni Bulldog Relays at Mississippi State, he ran 52.63 and placed 3rd in the Vols’ season opener.
That makes him 7th-fastest in the SEC so far this spring and 3rd-fastest freshman. He’s also now 10th-fastest freshman in NCAA Division 1. He was No. 13 freshman in D-1 indoors with his 46.80 for 400 meters. Osayemi also earned All-America honors for his relay work on Tennessee’s 4-by-4 at the NCAA Championships in Fayetteville.
His time is No. 26 among U.S. men so far this year. If he’s eligible for Under-20 Nationals – which means he’d have to turn 20 after New Year’s Eve – he’s No. 2 on the U.S. Under-20 list. World Athletics does not list a birthday for him.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 