Texas Tech University Athletics
Photo by: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
Roberts Places Ninth In 400M Olympic Semifinals
August 13, 2016 | Track and Field
Gil Roberts barely misses the cut for the finals after running a season-best on Saturday.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Texas Tech track & field record holder Gil Roberts rounded the track in the 400-meter Olympic semifinals at Olympic Stadium on Saturday and clocked in with the ninth-best time in the field to just miss the cut for the finals.
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Roberts had a good reaction to the gun, popping out of the blocks at 0.151 and staying near the front of the pack through the final curve. With 100 meters to go, Roberts was in a deadlock for second, but fell behind near the finish line to place fourth in the heat at 44.65 and ninth overall in the field.
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The time was a season-best for Roberts, but was 0.16 seconds outside of the eighth and final qualifying spot for the medal race.
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In the first round, Roberts placed second in his heat at 45.27 to auto-advance to Saturday's semifinals. Saturday was only his sixth 400-meter race of 2016, with his only other competition coming outside of the Olympic stages, when he ran 44.88 on May 7 in Eagle Rock, California. At the Trials, Roberts was second overall in all three stages of qualifying, posting times of 45.40 in the first round, 44.67 (season-best) in the semifinals and 44.73 in the final.
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He was also the first Red Raider track & field standout to compete in the Olympic Games in the open 400 meters and ninth overall in school history.
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Roberts' time at the Olympics is far from finished, as he will be in contention to run on the 4x400-meter relay for the United States starting on Friday, Aug. 19, at 7:10 p.m., with the final slated for Saturday, Aug. 20, at 8:35 p.m.
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The 10th Red Raider to take on the Olympics will also be the first in his individual event, when Bradley Adkins opens in the high jump qualifying section on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Adkins will jump in Group B, as a total of 44 athletes will look to make the first cut, which can be achieved with an automatic qualifying clearance of 2.31m/7-7, or be in the final group of the best 12 performers left in the competition.
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Roberts had a good reaction to the gun, popping out of the blocks at 0.151 and staying near the front of the pack through the final curve. With 100 meters to go, Roberts was in a deadlock for second, but fell behind near the finish line to place fourth in the heat at 44.65 and ninth overall in the field.
Â
The time was a season-best for Roberts, but was 0.16 seconds outside of the eighth and final qualifying spot for the medal race.
Â
In the first round, Roberts placed second in his heat at 45.27 to auto-advance to Saturday's semifinals. Saturday was only his sixth 400-meter race of 2016, with his only other competition coming outside of the Olympic stages, when he ran 44.88 on May 7 in Eagle Rock, California. At the Trials, Roberts was second overall in all three stages of qualifying, posting times of 45.40 in the first round, 44.67 (season-best) in the semifinals and 44.73 in the final.
Â
He was also the first Red Raider track & field standout to compete in the Olympic Games in the open 400 meters and ninth overall in school history.
Â
Roberts' time at the Olympics is far from finished, as he will be in contention to run on the 4x400-meter relay for the United States starting on Friday, Aug. 19, at 7:10 p.m., with the final slated for Saturday, Aug. 20, at 8:35 p.m.
Â
The 10th Red Raider to take on the Olympics will also be the first in his individual event, when Bradley Adkins opens in the high jump qualifying section on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. Adkins will jump in Group B, as a total of 44 athletes will look to make the first cut, which can be achieved with an automatic qualifying clearance of 2.31m/7-7, or be in the final group of the best 12 performers left in the competition.
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Big effort from Gil Roberts in 400m semis. 44.65, but will be first one out of the final #Rio2016 #Athletics pic.twitter.com/EIE2ezXHKN
— MileSplit US (@milesplit) August 13, 2016
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