BRAUNSCHWEIG, Germany – Former Salisbury University track & field star
Luke Campbell '16 narrowly missed a second straight appearance in the Olympic Games, finishing
two positions shy of qualifying in the 400-meter hurdles at the 2024 German Athletics Championships, which were held on Friday through Sunday at Eintracht-Stadion.
Campbell, who holds dual American-German citizenship and currently competes for Sprintteam Wetzlar outside of Frankfurt, posted a time of 51.22 seconds in the event's preliminary round, finishing second in his heat and fourth in a field of 24 to qualify for the finals. Faced with a
Lane 8 assignment and rainy conditions, the 29-year-old finished fifth in the final race at 51.61 seconds, less than two seconds off a top-three pace that would have earned him a trip to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The national meet served as Campbell's first official competition in two years as he endured and recovered from assorted injuries. He had been seeking to qualify for a second consecutive Summer Olympics after representing Team Germany at Tokyo 2020, which was delayed into 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Tokyo, Campbell
finished 11th in the semifinals of the 400-meter hurdles and later
ran the second leg for the German 4x400-meter relay team.
"I am very pleased to see Luke again racing at a high level," said Sea Gull head track & field head coach
Jim Jones. "Over the past few months he has regained his footing and was able to get in some quality workouts in order to compete at the German Championships. His return to form shows that he still has the competitive drive that has made him one of the best in the world. I know the entirety of Sea Gull Nation wishes Luke the best as he continues training and competing now and into the future."
The most decorated athlete in the history of Division III, Campbell won 11 national championships and earned 16 All-America nods during his time at Salisbury. He was named the NCAA Outdoor Championships Most Outstanding Performer on three occasions (2014-16) and earned United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year honors twice (2015-16). Through the conclusion of the Tokyo Games, Campbell was
one of just 18 track & field athletes from Division III institutions to ever compete at the Summer Olympics.
Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. With over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 23 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 199 conference championships, and 47 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.
