YPSILANTI, Mich. | Gateway High School senior-to-be Devundrick Walker qualified for the finals of the men’s 17-18 800 meter run at the AAU Junior Olympics.
Walker posted a time of 1 minute, 57.37 seconds Monday at Rynearson Stadium on the campus of Eastern Michigan University, earning the 12th and final spot in Wednesday’s finals. The winner of each of the seven heats of the 800 and the five fastest times after that all advanced.
Running for International Flight out of Manor, Texas — the club team he’s been training with over the summer — Walker came across the finish line slower than his 1:55.87 seed time, but still easily qualified for the finals, which are slated for 11:30 a.m. MT Wednesday.
The top time of the day in the 800 went to Robert Downs Jr. of Philadelphia, who turned in a 1:55.66 to win the heat that also included Walker, who was third behind Downs Jr. and Malik Lee of Chicago (1:56.26).
Walker — whose family received generous donations to help them drive across the country to watch him — is also entered in the men’s 17-18 1,500 meter run, with the prelims scheduled for 6 a.m. MT Thursday. He has the fourth-fastest time of the field coming into the event, a 4:09.85.
Reach Sports Editor Courtney Oakes at sports@aurorasentinel.com or 303-750-7555
