Grimes, Kicinski Highlight Day One in Des Moines

Thursday, July 25

Des Moines, Iowa

Texas Tech Athletics

USA National Championships

Grimes, Kicinski Highlight Day One in Des Moines

July 25, 2019 | Track and Field

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Tech thrower, hurdler fare well on first day of USATF Championships.

By: Jeremy O'Brien

DES MOINES, Iowa – Texas Tech's first group of Red Raiders competing at the USATF Championships put together solid performances on Thursday's opening day of action in Des Moines.

Duke Kicinski began the action, placing sixth in the discus in his first meet as a post-collegiate and first meet since winning the national championship in June. The thrower's top throw came on his second attempt when he launched a 201'-0" (61.28m). The distance moved him into fifth going into the finals. It would be his top distance of the day and would be good for sixth when all was said and done.

On the track, Norman Grimes Jr. ran a 50.20 in the 400m hurdles. The time was good enough for a second-place finish in the second heat, which earned Grimes an auto-bid into Friday's semi-final.

Norman goes through ??

A 50.20 places @normangrimesjr second in his heat and will send him into tomorrow's semi-final of the 400m hurdles!

??#WreckEm??
— Texas Tech Track & Field (@TexasTechTF) July 25, 2019

"I thought he handled himself very well," said assistant coach Calvin Robinson. "He did just enough to advance without having to use a whole lot of energy. That is so important when you have to run three rounds at a meet like this."

Grimes will run for a spot in the final on Friday at 7:28 p.m. He will be joined in action by fellow hurdler Alaysha Johnson, who will run the first round of the 100m hurdles at 4:05 p.m.

Elsewhere, Vincent Crisp finished 28^th in the 800m. He ran a 1:51.82.