FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Georgia senior Justin Gaymon advanced to the 400-meter hurdle finals for the third straight year to highlight the second day of the NCAA Outdoor Championships on the University of Arkansas campus on Thursday.

“Justin didn’t go too hard today and still managed to set himself up well for (Friday’s) finals,” said assistant coach Jon Stuart, whose teams wrap up all of their events on Friday. “We have all of our finals coming up so hopefully we have positioned ourselves well enough to score some points and finish up there with some of the top teams in the nation.”

Gaymon recorded his third-fastest time of the season (49.49) in the 400 hurdle semifinals to take second in his heat and third overall. Washington sophomore Jeshua Anderson, who is the defending national champion in the event, edged Gaymon in the second heat with a time of 49.27 after South Carolina sophomore Johnny Dutch clocked a 49.48 to win the opening heat.

Gaymon, who has the second-fastest time in the country this year (48.86), crossed the finish line in 50.07 during the first round on Wednesday. He was an All-American in the event in 2007 after taking third in the finals and then again 2008, although he was disqualified in the finals last year for a trail-leg violation.

Israel Machovec saw his junior season come to an end during the qualifying round of the discus. Machovec, who had three fair throws on Thursday, reached a top distance of 178-2, which was six feet away from qualifying, on his final attempt to finish 21st. In 2008, he finished 25th in the discus prelims after registering a top throw of 155-4.

Machovec moved to No. 4 on the school’s all-time list this year after launching a top mark of 188-8 at the Olympic Training Center.

Sophomore Georgina Nembhard was making her debut at the NCAA Championships, competing in both the 100 and 200. Nembhard sped to a 24.08 finish in the first round of the 200 to finish 21st overall and just three places out of qualifying on Thursday.

She clocked an 11.59 in the first round of the 100 on Wednesday to finish five spots away from the semifinal round. Nembhard is No. 6 in the Lady Bulldog record books in the 100 (11.41) and stands at the eighth spot on the all-time list in the 200 (23.69).

Senior Nate Rolfe and juniors John Freeman and Branislav Danis will be Georgia’s first competitors on Friday as they are all scheduled to throw in the hammer finals at 2 p.m. EDT. This marks the first time in modern school history that Georgia has had three competitors advance to the finals in the same event during the same NCAA meet.

At 8:30 p.m., junior Chris Hill will attempt to defend his NCAA javelin title in the finals before Gaymon makes his final attempt at capturing a national crown in the 400 hurdles at 9:05 p.m.

Live results and recaps from the remaining two days of action at the NCAA Outdoor Championships will be located at georgiadogs.com.

Thursday’s Results
Name Event Mark / Place
Israel Machovec Discus 178 feet, 2 inches / 21st
Georgina Nembhard 200-meter dash 24.08 / 21st
Justin Gaymon* 400m hurdles 49.49 / 3rd

- Georgia Sports Communications