Garner alumnus Randolph Ross Jr. took home his second straight NCAA title in the 400m dash this weekend at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. The North Carolina A&T student-athlete came into the weekend with all eyes on him after he took home the 2021 outdoor 400m and 2021-22 indoor 400m NCAA titles.
He easily advanced into the finals after finishing runner-up in his preliminary heat on Wednesday, automatically qualifying for the finals. His prelim time of 44.43 was good for No. 2 overall headed into the finals.
Fast forward to Friday's final, and Ross would line up next to Florida's Champion Allison, who had the fastest preliminary time. He shot from the blocks and came around the final curve in the lead, holding off a final push from Allison and Georgia's Elija Godwin. Ross crossed the line emphatically to take his 3rd NCAA individual title overall, and makes it back-to-back wins in the outdoor 400m. He clocked a season best and collegiate season lead of 44.13.
| Pl | Athlete | Time | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Randolph ROSSN. Carolina A&T [JR] | 44.13 | SB CL | ||||||
| 2 |  | Champion ALLISONFlorida [JR] | 44.41 | |||||||
| 3 |  | Elija GODWINGeorgia [JR] | 44.50 | PB | ||||||
| 4 |  | Jonathan JONESTexas [JR] | 44.93 |
Ross, only a junior, is the first two-time NCAA 400m outdoor champion since Kirani James of Alabama in 2010 and 2011. There are only three three-time 400m champions, and none since 1983. Bert Cameron of UTEP won the 400m title in 1980, 1981, and 1983.
George Rhoden of Morgan State won the 400 yard (switched to meters in 1976), in 1950, 1951, and 1952. The only other 400m three-peat winner is from 1925-27, Butler's Hermon Phillips.
