MABLETON, Ga. — Georgia track and field athlete Kenny Selmon will compete in the men's 400-meter hurdle semifinals Sunday.
The 24-year-old University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill graduate grew up in Mableton, Georgia and found track and field to be a big part of his life in high school.
Selmon trained in the back parking lot of the Pace Academy because it didn't have a track.
He didn't have hurdles to train with, but he had speed bumps. Despite the lack of a track, the coaches, one of which is in Tokyo with him, never made excuses and always pushed him.
Selmon said his whole life revolved around his Olympic dreams as he did better in his sport. He has finally made his Olympic debut in Tokyo.
He finished his second heat in the 400-meter hurdles on Thursday with the time of 0:48.61. He is headed to the semifinals on Sunday, where he will compete at 8:15 a.m.
Selmon is the son of an All-American wrestler for Nebraska and his brother played basketball for Bates College. He also volunteers as an assistant coach at UNC, according to Team USA. He yearns for the gold medal and hopes to make it to the finals.
