Jackson State’s Tinsley headed to 2012 Olympics with win in 400m hurdles

July 2, 2012 16 Comments
Michael Tinsley finished first during the men’s 400 meter hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Sunday, July 1, 2012, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Former Jackson State University men’s track and field standout Michael Tinsley  will compete in the 2012 Olympics after winning the men’s 400 meter hurdles Sunday evening during the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon.  
Tinsley’s win (with a time of 48.33 seconds) earned him a spot on the 2012 United States Olympic team, who will compete in the 2012 Olympics in London, England beginning July 27. 
While at Jackson State, Tinsley earned national and international recognition in 2006 when he finished sixth at the USA Outdoor meet and won at the NCAA Championships, becoming the first JSU track athlete to win an NCAA Division I title.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjkR00pgAmA]
Also in 2006, Tinsley won at the Texas Relays and continued to move up in the national rankings. He ended the year ranked number 10 in the Track and Field News World Rankings.
In 2005, Tinsley earned a third-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. He was ranked number 7 at the end of the year in the U.S. Track & Field News.
At the 2004 Southwestern Athletics Conference Outdoor Championships, Tinsley won both the 110-meter and 400-meter hurdles titles.
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Spencer McClenty
spencer.l.mcclenty@jsums.edu