Aug. 24, 2011
World University Games - 800-Meter Highlights | Results
SHENZHEN, China - Rising junior Casimir Loxsom (New Haven, Conn.) recently represented the United States through three rounds of competition, placing fourth overall in the 800-meters at the World University Games, last week at the Main Stadium of Universiade Sports Center. The event marked Loxsom's second international appearance as a collegiate, after placing second in the 800 at the IAAF World Junior Championships last summer.
Loxsom, who held the lead through the late stages of the race, but was tripped up in the final meters, clocked an impressive 1:46.73 in the event final. Australian Lachlan Renshaw took gold medal honors in the event, breaking the tape in 1:46.36, while China's Haining Teng and Kenya's Fred Samoi rounded out the medal standings with finishing marks of 1:46.62, and 1:46.72, respectively.
The New Haven, Conn., native was also solid through the qualifying rounds in Shenzhen, running 1:52.09 to place third in his preliminary heat, advancing to the semi-final, where he clocked 1:47.10 to nab second place in his section, as well as the second-fastest qualifying time of the round.
The event brings an end to a sensational sophomore campaign for Loxsom, who placed fourth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, and went on to a sixth-place standing at the USATF Outdoor Championships in an predominantly-professional field. The then-sophomore, who also captured his second-straight Big Ten 800 title this past spring, blitzed to a school-record 1:45.31 at the NCAA Championships, before improving his own school record to 1:45.28 at the Harry Jerome Classic in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Loxsom, and the rest of the Nittany Lion track and field contingent will be back in action at the Blue/White Intersquad Meet on December 10, while the Penn State cross country squad will open on the 2011 campaign at the Lock Haven Dolan Duals on September 2.