Trevor Bassitt reacts after winning a heat during the World Athletics Championships on in July of 2022, in Eugene, Ore.
AP Photo | Ashley Landis
GAINESVILLE, Fl. – Trevor Bassitt has dreamed of competing in track and field at the Summer Olympics for a long time.
It’s now a reality. The 26-year-old runner is making his first trip to the Summer Olympics.
Bassitt, a Bluffton High School and Ashland University graduate, punched his ticket to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France this past Sunday at the U.S. Track-and-Field Olympic Team Trials at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field, where he finished third in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 47.82 seconds.
The top three placers in each event made the U.S. Olympic Team.
Rai Benjamin broke his own U.S. Olympic Trials meet record in the 400 hurdles on Sunday with a winning time of 46.46 seconds – which is also the fastest time recorded in the world this year. C. J. Allen finished second in Sunday’s 400 hurdles finals (47.81).
In the summer of 2021, Bassitt finished eighth in the finals of the 400 hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and did not make the U.S. Olympic Team. In 2020, the Tokyo Olympic Games were postponed until the next year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s a dream come true. I’ve been working for this for a while,” Bassitt said in a phone interview. “It first came into my mind during my sophomore year in college, when I realized it really could be possible. So pretty much everything that I have done since 2019 has been geared towards making the U.S. Olympic Team.
“Obviously, I got eighth (400 hurdles) back in 2021 (U.S. Olympic Team Trials) and missed making the team. I was heartbroken. So, it’s awesome to come back now in 2024 and secure my spot for the Paris Olympics. It’s every athlete’s dream, especially in track and field. I’ve made a couple of Outdoor World Championship teams, which is great, but everyone knows the Olympic Games are a whole step up. … It’s a whole other deal. If you don’t make the team, then you have to wait four more years. I’m really thankful and I’m really excited, moving forward.”
After the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Bassitt became even more determined to take his craft to the next level.
“After 2021 (U.S. Olympic Team Trials), I made a post on my social media saying that I’m not going to miss another U.S.A. Team for the rest of my career,” Bassitt said. “I truly believed it, and I still believe that to be the case. And since I did that post, I have not missed a team yet. So, it has worked out.”
In 2022, Bassitt won a bronze medal in the 400 hurdles at the World Athletics Outdoor Championships, where he clocked a personal best of 47.39 seconds.
Also in 2022, Bassitt won the silver medal in the 400-meter run at the World Athletics Indoor Championships held in Belgrade, Serbia.
While at Ashland University, he was a 10-time NCAA Division II national champion and 21-time Division II All-American in various events.
At Bluffton High School, he won Division III state titles in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles.
Bassitt, a professional runner, resides in Gainesville, Florida with his wife, Harlie. He trains with legendary coach Mike Holloway at the University of Florida.
Bassitt said he feels confident in his abilities and does not shy away from the competition.
“The United States Team is the toughest team to make across every sport,” he said. “There are a lot of people that are being left home that were heavy favorites to medal or maybe even win the Olympics, so I always try to keep a good mind. I keep my eyes on my competitors and see how they are competing, but I know when I’m at my best, I truly believe there’s not a whole lot of people in the world better than me.”
Bassitt went on to say that his mindset never wavers.
“The goal is always to win,” he said. “I don’t step on the track expecting not to win. Obviously, I would be content with a medal of any color, but the goal is always to win.”
The 2024 Paris Olympics officially start on July 26 with the Opening Ceremony and conclude on August 11 with the Closing Ceremony.
