What to Watch: Collegians in Day Three of #Rio2016 T&F

NEW ORLEANS – Collegians have come so close to the medal stand in both of the first two days of Rio Olympics track & field competition.

First it was women’s Bowerman Finalist Raven Saunders of Ole Miss (USA) finishing fifth in the shot put on Friday, then men’s Bowerman Finalist Jarrion Lawson of Arkansas (USA) took fourth in the long jump yesterday.

Will tonight be the night a collegian breaks through for their first medal of these games?

Perhaps the best chance for that medal comes with Georgia’s Bowerman Finalist Keturah Orji (USA) in the women’s triple jump final. She’s only a sophomore and already the American/collegiate record-holder, a three-time NCAA Champion, but in her first Olympic action yesterday Orji just barely made it through to tonight’s final as the 12th of 12 qualifiers.

She does have significant international experience, however, having finished fourth-place at the IAAF World Indoor Championships this past March.

We’ll find out tonight starting at 7:55pm ET if her shining 2016 campaign concludes with a golden, silver or bronze sheen.

Orji may be the only collegian locked in for a final on Sunday night, she could be joined as a Sunday finalist by another Georgia Bulldog in Cejhae Green (Antigua and Barbuda). Though Green hasn’t made his UGA debut after transferring from Florida State prior to last season, he’s already made a statement as the only collegian in tonight’s men’s 100-meter semifinals at 8pm ET.

He’ll have his hands full trying to get to the 9:25pm ET final, though, as he’s in the second heat with the likes of Usain Bolt, Trayvon Bromell and Andre De Grasse – all of whom were medalists in last year’s IAAF World Championships – along with the ageless wonder Kim Collins.

Only the top two from eat of the three heats and the next two overall fastest times move on to the eight-man final.

Texas Tech’s Bradley Adkins (United States) and Notre Dame’s Margaret Bamgbose (Nigeria) are also in qualifying action in the men’s high jump and women’s 400 meters semfinal, respectively.

More details on all of the above athletes’ competitions can be found below.