Jackson State University track and field star Michael Tinsley is Rio bound after finishing third in the 400 meter hurdles finals Sunday evening during the 2016 US Olympic Trials. Tinsley posted a time of 48.82. Tinsley, who won the 400 meter hurdles silver medal in the 2012 London Olympics while setting a personal best time of 47.91, makes his second straight trip to the Olympics.
Tinsley, who won the 2012 Olympic Trials, posted a semifinal win (49.15) on Saturday. He followed up his London Olympics silver medal with a silver medal at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow.While at Jackson State, the Little Rock, Ark., native became the first track and field Tiger to win an NCAA Division I title at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2006.
In addition to Tinsley, JSU’s Anaso Jobodwana is also headed to Rio to represent his homeland of South Africa in his second straight Olympics. In the 2012 Olympics, at age 20, Jobodwana recorded a personal best time of 20.27 in the 200 meter dash semifinals. The time was just 0.09 behind Usain Bolt, before finishing in eighth place in the finals.