Georgia junior Justin Gaymon has been named the South Region Men’s Track Athlete of the Year, according to an announcement by the U.S . Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Gaymon defended his Southeastern Conference and NCAA East Regional titles in the 400-meter hurdles this season. The Stewartsville, N.J., native, who finished third in the 400 hurdles at the 2007 NCAA
Championships, clocked a school-record time of 48.53 to win his second straight SEC crown in the event, which gave him the nation1s top collegiate time this season and made him No. 3 on the world’s performance list for 2008.

In addition to his two All-American certificates earned during the 2007 outdoor season, Gaymon also won an SEC 400 title during the 2008 indoor season and was an All-American at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Gaymon is gunning for his first national championship in the 400 hurdles and will be joining Michael Proctor, Gordon Ritchie-Haughton and Baron Brown in the 4×400 relay.

Gaymon and 11 of his teammates traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday to compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championships from Wednesday through Saturday.

- Georgia Sports Communications