| Former Hampton standout finishes 4th in 400m hurdles at Sydney OlympicsSeptember 28, 2000Hampton, VA. - Former Hampton University track standout James Carter ran a personal best 48.04 on the 400m hurdles but fell just short of a medal at the 2000 Olympic games in Sydney, Australia. Carter, the first Hampton University student-athlete to participate in the Olympics, felt that he was more than capable of winning the gold, but was extremely happy with his overall performance. His 48.04 was the fifth fastest time in the world this season. Running what he described as a "perfect race", Carter was edged out for the bronze medal by Llewellyn Herbet of South Africa who ran a 47.81, setting a national record for his country. Angelo Taylor of the United States captured the gold medal, and the silver went to Saudi Arabian Hadi Souan Somayli. As a freshman, Carter arrived on the campus of Hampton University with a reputation that preceded itself. At Mervo High in Baltimore, Maryland, James was one of the top quarter-milers in the country. He was an All-American who was rated third in the nation by Track & Field News. In his first year of competition at Hampton (1998), Carter qualified for the NCAA championships and finished seventh. However, after a year of adapting to the collegiate level of competition, he was ready to come into his own. In 1999 he captured the 400-meter hurdles title at the Texas Relays, the Florida Relays and the much renowned Penn Relays. In addition, he set a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) meet record by scoring 36 points and leading the Pirates to the conference championship. He also went on to finish third at the NCAA championships and was named an All-American for the second consecutive season. |
