EUGENE, Oregon - Youngstown State senior Collin Harden placed 17th overall during Thursday's first round races of the men's 400m hurdles at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at Hayward Field. 

Running out of lane two, Harden posted a 50.81, a time just shy of his personal best of 50.21, en route to a sixth place finish in the second heat of four on the evening. He entered the event holding the 28th fastest time and jumped a remakable 11 spots with the 17th place effort. The top three runners from each heat and next four fastest overall times advanced to Friday's semifinal races - 16 total qualifiers. 

In heat two, Rai Benjamin of NIKE posted the top time of the heat and third-fastest time of the event, clocking a 49.12. The heat also posted the fourth (David Kendziera - 49.19), fifth (Khallifah Rosser - 49.28) and sixth (CJ Allen - 49.45) fastest times of the 28 total hurdlers who competed. Heat two boasted five semifinalists - the most of the four first round heats. 

Kenny Selmon clocked the fastest time of the first round races, posting a 49.03 out of heat one. TJ Holmes headlined heat three, running a 49.90 and Cameron Samuel ran the fastest time in heat four, running a 49.89.

Harden closes his collegiate track and field career as a two-time Division I All-American at YSU. He was named the Horizon League Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships Outstanding Performer for Running Events after winning the 100m and 400m hurdles in 2021. Harden was named YSU's Male Athlete of the Year in 2020. Harden is the third former YSU men's track and field student-athlete to compete at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in the last two games.