Rising sophomore Alex Rhodes  is striding into the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships with high hopes and massive expectations.

Rhodes placed third in the 400m dash in the USA Track & Field Under-20 Championships in June at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon. Going into that competition, he explained that he went into the race "hoping for a 6th place finish to ensure [his] place on the podium and a spot as an alternate on Team USA." Oh - and did we mention he was the NCAA DIII National Runner-Up?

Having finished in 3rd place, Rhodes will be running the 4x400m relay and he also secured the position of first alternate for Team USA in the open 400m. When asked about this upcoming week's competition, Rhodes mentioned that this is "the first big step" he'll be taking in his career - although some might argue he's already far surpassed the first big step with his performance last track season, culminating with his placement in Oregon in June. Rhodes continued, expressing that it is "truly an honor to be able to represent the University of Puget Sound and the entirety of Division III at the world stage".

The 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships span Tuesday, August 23rd to Saturday, August 31. We will continue to highlight Rhodes' activity and performance throughout the week.