WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue track & field alumna Devynne Charlton placed sixth in the women's 100-meter hurdles final at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
As she made her Olympic debut for The Bahamas, Charlton is the first current or former member of the Purdue women's track & field program to run in an Olympic final.
In the final on August 2, Charlton finished in 12.74 and came in sixth overall. She was 0.27 seconds ahead of the seventh-place finisher, while just 0.01 seconds separated fifth and sixth place. Charlton was 0.19 seconds shy of a top-three medal finish.
Charlton is the first Boilermaker, male or female, to run in a final in 49 years, as her sixth-place finish is the best on the track since Larry Burton was fourth in the men's 200m at the Munich Olympics in 1972. The track & field program's most recent medalist was Chris Huffins, who claimed bronze in the decathlon in 2000.
From Nassau, The Bahamas, Charlton came to the Olympics ranked No. 16 overall in the women's 100m hurdles. She was seeded eighth of nine going into the final before she earned her sixth-place finish.
Charlton advanced to the final with a time of 12.66 in the semifinals on August 1. The mark was second-fastest in the first semi and seventh overall. In the heats on July 30, she reached the semifinals with a time of 12.84 seconds in the heats on July 31, her first-ever Olympics race. She placed fourth in her heat and 12th overall.
A two-time school record-holder, in the 100m hurdles (12.70) and 100m (11.22), Charlton earned nine All-America honors as a Boilermaker from 2014-18. She was the NCAA runner-up in the 100m hurdles in 2018 and in the 60m hurdles in 2017. Charlton won 11 Big Ten championships and was named the Big Ten Track Athlete of the Year three times.
With The Bahamas, Charlton is a two-time World Championships qualifier and competed twice at the Pan American Games.
Charlton is one of five Purdue track & field athletes, and one of a department-record 10 total current, past or future Boilermakers, to compete at the Tokyo Olympics.
Making her Olympics debut, Camille Buscomb placed 14th in her heat and 29th overall in the 5,000m on July 30 for New Zealand. A Boilermaker from 2009-11, she also will run in the 10,000m final on Saturday, August 7, at 6:45 a.m. ET.
2021 Purdue graduate Samson Colebrooke ran in the 100m and earned a time of 10.33 in the heats on July 31. Competing for The Bahamas, Colebrooke was seventh in his heat and 44th overall in his first career Olympics appearance.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (shot put) and Kara (Patterson) Winger (javelin) have yet to compete at the Olympics. Enekwechi represents Nigeria in the shot put, with the qualifying round on Tuesday, August 3, at 6:15 a.m. ET. The final is slated for Wednesday, August 4, at 10:05 p.m. Enekwechi, who was a Boilermaker from 2013-16 and currently is a volunteer assistant coach, makes is Olympics debut.
Recently named a team captain for the United States Track & Field team, Winger competes in the javelin throw qualifying round on Monday, August 2, at 8:20 p.m. ET. The final is on Friday, August 6, at 7:50 a.m. A 2009 Purdue graduate, Winger is the first female athlete in Purdue history and second overall to participate in a fourth Olympic Games.
A complete preview of Purdue's track & field representatives can be found at PurdueSports.com/TrackField. NBC and NBCOlympics.com are broadcasting the Games. Additional information on how to follow along, the complete schedule and more can be found at PurdueSports.com/Olympics and by following the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
As she made her Olympic debut for The Bahamas, Charlton is the first current or former member of the Purdue women's track & field program to run in an Olympic final.
In the final on August 2, Charlton finished in 12.74 and came in sixth overall. She was 0.27 seconds ahead of the seventh-place finisher, while just 0.01 seconds separated fifth and sixth place. Charlton was 0.19 seconds shy of a top-three medal finish.
Devynne Charlton 🇧🇸 is 6th in the #Olympics 100m hurdles final! She finishes in 12.74.#BoilerUp 🚂 #OlympiansMadeHerepic.twitter.com/yDh89RWFXL
— Purdue Track & Field / Cross Country (@PurdueTrackXC) August 2, 2021
Charlton is the first Boilermaker, male or female, to run in a final in 49 years, as her sixth-place finish is the best on the track since Larry Burton was fourth in the men's 200m at the Munich Olympics in 1972. The track & field program's most recent medalist was Chris Huffins, who claimed bronze in the decathlon in 2000.
From Nassau, The Bahamas, Charlton came to the Olympics ranked No. 16 overall in the women's 100m hurdles. She was seeded eighth of nine going into the final before she earned her sixth-place finish.
Charlton advanced to the final with a time of 12.66 in the semifinals on August 1. The mark was second-fastest in the first semi and seventh overall. In the heats on July 30, she reached the semifinals with a time of 12.84 seconds in the heats on July 31, her first-ever Olympics race. She placed fourth in her heat and 12th overall.
A two-time school record-holder, in the 100m hurdles (12.70) and 100m (11.22), Charlton earned nine All-America honors as a Boilermaker from 2014-18. She was the NCAA runner-up in the 100m hurdles in 2018 and in the 60m hurdles in 2017. Charlton won 11 Big Ten championships and was named the Big Ten Track Athlete of the Year three times.
With The Bahamas, Charlton is a two-time World Championships qualifier and competed twice at the Pan American Games.
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Charlton is one of five Purdue track & field athletes, and one of a department-record 10 total current, past or future Boilermakers, to compete at the Tokyo Olympics.
Making her Olympics debut, Camille Buscomb placed 14th in her heat and 29th overall in the 5,000m on July 30 for New Zealand. A Boilermaker from 2009-11, she also will run in the 10,000m final on Saturday, August 7, at 6:45 a.m. ET.
2021 Purdue graduate Samson Colebrooke ran in the 100m and earned a time of 10.33 in the heats on July 31. Competing for The Bahamas, Colebrooke was seventh in his heat and 44th overall in his first career Olympics appearance.
Chukwuebuka Enekwechi (shot put) and Kara (Patterson) Winger (javelin) have yet to compete at the Olympics. Enekwechi represents Nigeria in the shot put, with the qualifying round on Tuesday, August 3, at 6:15 a.m. ET. The final is slated for Wednesday, August 4, at 10:05 p.m. Enekwechi, who was a Boilermaker from 2013-16 and currently is a volunteer assistant coach, makes is Olympics debut.
Recently named a team captain for the United States Track & Field team, Winger competes in the javelin throw qualifying round on Monday, August 2, at 8:20 p.m. ET. The final is on Friday, August 6, at 7:50 a.m. A 2009 Purdue graduate, Winger is the first female athlete in Purdue history and second overall to participate in a fourth Olympic Games.
A complete preview of Purdue's track & field representatives can be found at PurdueSports.com/TrackField. NBC and NBCOlympics.com are broadcasting the Games. Additional information on how to follow along, the complete schedule and more can be found at PurdueSports.com/Olympics and by following the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.