KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A Kalamazoo native is on his way to Paris as a member of the 2024 U.S. track and field team.
Heath Baldwin, a Michigan State University graduate student, won the decathlon at the U.S. Track & Field Trials on Saturday to secure his ticket to Paris.
According to MSU's website, Baldwin is the first Spartan to qualify for the Olympic decathlon since Paul Terek in 2004.
Baldwin totaled a personal best of 8,625 points at the trials and finished first in the 19-athlete field. His score is sixth-best in the world this year and third all-time on the all-dates collegiate list.
Some of his 2023 career highlights include:
- MSU Athletics George Alderton Male Athlete of the Year
- NCAA Indoor First Team All-American
- NCAA Outdoor First Team All-American
- Big Ten Indoor Heptathlon Champion
- NCAA Championships Qualifier
- USTFCCCA All-Academic Athlete
- Broke the heptathlon and decathlon school records
- Broke the javelin throw school record during the outdoor season
Track and field events at the Paris Olympics will begin on August 1 and end on August 11.
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