Full Results
MINSK - Former Fighting Illini hurdles standout David Kendziera placed first in the 400m Hurdles for Team USATF at The Match, Europe vs. USA on Tuesday in Minsk, Belarus. Kendziera clocked 48.99 to achieve victory at The Match.
"I just made sure to go out hard," said Kendziera after the run. "That's kind of been the main thing that I was struggling on all year and I just had to go back to the basics. To run the 400 Hurdles you've got to have courage, and it takes courage to go out like that in the race. I just tried to hold for as long as I could, stay the typical race pattern that I do and I came out with a victory."
Kendziera's first-place finish tallied nine team points for Team USATF. Amere Lattin finished in 49.12 to place seventh and collect nine team points for the U.S. France's Ludvy Vaillant placed third with a time of 49.20 and scored six points. Europe won The Match over Team USATF by a score of 724.5-601.5.
This was Kendziera's first time competing with Team USA on the World stage, and he eyes competing for Team USA on the Olympic team in 2020.
"To be a part of my first USA Team is an honor, and I couldn't be more happy with the result that I had," Kendziera said. "... Just having the international experience and being a part of what team USA wants, it keeps you hungry and makes you want to be on it next time and the next time. I'm ready for it in 2020."
Yesterday at The Match, Illini redshirt senior Jonathan Wells took fifth place in the High Jump, tying his personal-best by jumping 2.26 meters. It was another standout performance on the national stage for Wells, who finished third in the High Jump at U.S. Outdoor Championships in July with a jump of 2.24 meters.
With the 2.26 mark on Monday, Wells now ranks sixth in the U.S. and is tied for 42nd in the World this year in the High Jump.
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