Ohioans At Worlds: Bassitt Nets Bronze, Steiner On To Finals


(File images via post-race interview scrums)


In what amounted to be a stellar day on Tuesday at the World Athletics Championships for Ohio's own, Trevor Bassitt claimed bronze in the 400m hurdles and Abby Steiner solidified her spot in the 200 meter finals with a second place finish in heat 3.

Bassitt found an extra gear late in the evening's closing contest to secure his medal, as he came through the line sporting a new personal best time of 47.39, a mark which narrowly edged France's Wilfried Happio, who clocked 47.41 en route to fourth. Rounding out the podium was fellow American Rai Benjamin in second with a season's best showing of 46.89 and gold medalist Alison Dos Santos, of Brazil, who produced a championship record mark of 46.29. 

Bassitt acknowledged, post-race, the motivation he derived from the electric Hayward Field crowd and he credited USA teammates Khallifah Rosser and the aforementioned Benjamin for helping to elevate his game to the next level. The 2017 Bluffton grad and Ashland University product also paid tribute to the Eagles' late coach Jud Logan. 

"When you have a lane anything can happen."

Abby Steiner remarked those words to reporters following her runner-up performance in the semi-finals, where she secured an auto-qualifying entry into the coveted final round. 

The former University of Kentucky star, and recently signed Puma representative, recorded a 22.15 mark and will draw lane 8 for the finals, which is scheduled for Thursday at 10:35 pm EDT. 

Following her effort, Steiner debriefed about the warm conditions that needed to be negotiated on Tuesday night, the benefit of having a rest day between races and the pull she received from heat winner Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who, according to Steiner, is the world's premier 100 meter sprinter. Fraser-Pryce broke the tape with a season's best 21.82 mark. 

Watch Bassitt and Steiner's interviews below conducted, in part, by the FloTrack team. 

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