Former UNC track star Kenny Selmon fell short of advancing to the finals for the 400-meter hurdles event on Sunday at the Tokyo Olympics.

Selmon, who was a four-time All-American while at UNC, placed second in his Thursday heat to qualify for the semifinal. He posted the fourth-fastest time in his semifinal run against seven other hurdlers, but the American’s 48.58 seconds ultimately was the tenth-fastest time in the semifinal round of the event.

The Olympic model takes the fastest two times in each of the three semifinal races, as well as the two fastest remaining times from the field to compile the finalist group.

David Kendziera, a volunteer assistant for the UNC Track and Field program, also raced in the 400-meter hurdles event for the United States. After automatically qualifying for the semifinal in his heat, Kendziera placed third among the runners in his semifinal event on Sunday. He also fell short of making the final, though, after posting the twelfth-fastest time of 48.67 seconds.

While running at Carolina from 2014 through 2018, Selmon earned three individual ACC Championships. During the 2017 NCAA Finals, he broke a 22-year-old school record in the 400-meter hurdles with a 48.60 second run. Selmon also won the 400-meter world title while competing at the 2018 Athletics World Cup in London.

The men’s 400-meter hurdle final race for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be held at 11:20 p.m. EST on Tuesday, August 3.

Photo via Carolina Athletics.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

 

Related Stories
‹
Some UNC Athletes Are Competing in the Tokyo Olympics. Who Are They?
The Tokyo Olympics are officially underway, as the Japanese host city held its opening ceremony on Friday. After seeing the Summer Games delayed one year due to the coronavirus pandemic, many athletes are now aiming to compete in their various sports, including ten current and former UNC athletes. Two current Carolina student-athletes are set to […]
Germany’s Rodl Still Inspired by His UNC Coach, Dean Smith
Written by TIM REYNOLDS Henrik Rodl was unsure about what he’d do after finishing high school in Germany. He had done an exchange year of study in the U.S., then returned home to complete his required education there and figure out what to do next. And then Dean Smith took a flight over the Atlantic […]
‘OK Not To Be OK’: Mental Health Takes Top Role at Olympics
Written by JENNA FRYER For decades, they were told to shake it off or toughen up — to set aside the doubt, or the demons, and focus on the task at hand: winning. Dominating. Getting it done. For years, Simone Biles was one of the very best at that. Suddenly — to some, shockingly — […]
US Star Simone Biles Exits; Roc Wins Women’s Gymnastics
Written by WILL GRAVES Simone Biles came to Tokyo as the star of the U.S. Olympic movement and perhaps the games themselves. It all came to a stunning halt in the women’s gymnastics final on Tuesday night. A wonky vault to start the competition left her huddling with the U.S. team doctor before heading backstage […]
Japan Girds for a Surreal Olympics, and Questions Are Plenty
Written by FOSTER KLUG After a yearlong delay and months of hand-wringing that rippled across a pandemic-inflected world, a Summer Games unlike any other is at hand. It’s an Olympics, sure, but also, in a very real way, something quite different. No foreign fans. No local attendance in Tokyo-area venues. A reluctant populace navigating a […]
Parker Wolfe, Ethan Strand Among UNC's 2025 Patterson Medal Winners
UNC named the 2025 class of Patterson Medal winners Monday morning. The Patterson Medal is the school’s most prestigious individual athletics honor and has been awarded annually since 1924. Recipients must have competed in at least three seasons for UNC and have concluded their collegiate eligibility. The 2025 honorees are David Ford of the men’s […]
3 UNC Athletes Finish as National Runners-Up at NCAA Track & Field Championships
Three different Tar Heels – shot putter Tommy Kitchell and runners Makayla Paige and Ethan Strand – finished as the national runners-up in their respective events at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Oregon last week. Kitchell, competing in his last collegiate event, achieved a new personal best and a school record with […]
UNC Wins Multiple Titles at ACC Track & Field Championships
UNC senior Parker Wolfe became the first runner ever to win the 5,000 and 10,000 meter titles in consecutive seasons at the ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships this week in Winston-Salem. Wolfe was named the men’s track MVP while helping the Tar Heels finish second in the championship’s team leaderboard. The women’s team finished […]
On Air Today: Wade Sutton and Tracey Williams-Johnson on Handball Futures' Tryouts
Wade Sutton and Tracey Williams-Johnson join 97.9 The Hill News Director Brighton McConnell on Thursday, April 3 to discuss an upcoming handball team tryout in Chapel Hill.
UNC's Ethan Strand and Makayla Paige Win Titles at NCAA Indoor Championships
Two Tar Heels brought home hardware from the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Virginia Beach last weekend. UNC’s Ethan Strand won the 3,000-meter national title while Makayla Paige won the 800-meter title. Thanks for having us, Virginia!#GoHeels pic.twitter.com/NxuAE0vt7L — UNC Track & Field • XC (@UNCTrack_Field) March 16, 2025   Strand’s race was […]
›