Brian Cassella / baiduhaiDavid Kendziera rides in the Fourth of July parade in Mount Prospect. Kendziera, a graduate of Prospect High School and the University of Illinois, will be competing in the 400-meter hurdles at the Olympics in Tokyo.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiDavid Kendziera rides in the Fourth of July parade July 4, 2021, in Mount Prospect. Kendziera, a graduate of Prospect High School and the University of Illinois, is competing in the 400-meter hurdles at the Olympics in Tokyo.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiDavid Kendziera reacts to finishing third in his heat of the 400-meter semifinals on Aug. 1, 2021, at Olympic Stadium during the Tokyo Olympics.
ALEXANDER NEMENOV / AFP via Getty ImagesChina's Huang Dongping and China's Wang Yilyu, right, celebrate winning the mixed doubles badminton final match as China's Zheng Siwei and China's Huang Yaqiong look on during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 30, 2021.
Dmitri Lovetsky / APEsther Qin of Australia competes in women's diving 3m springboard preliminary at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 30, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiDavid Kendziera rides in the Fourth of July parade in Mount Prospect. Kendziera, a graduate of Prospect High School and the University of Illinois, will be competing in the 400-meter hurdles at the Olympics in Tokyo.
LUIS ACOSTA / AFP via Getty ImagesCzech Republic's Jiri Prskavec reacts after winning the gold medal in the men's kayak final during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Kasai Canoe Slalom Centre in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiGreat Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their gold and silver medals in the cycling BMX finals, July 30, 2021, at Ariake Urban Sports Park during the Tokyo Olympics.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiMaureen Kendziera waves to the crowd as her son David Kendziera rides in the Fourth of July parade in Mount Prospect.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiA pack of athletes crashes into the barrier on a turn during a semifinal race of the cycling BMX finals, July 30, 2021, at Ariake Urban Sports Park during the Tokyo Olympics.
Patrick Semansky / APAlexander Zverev, of Germany, reacts after defeating Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, during the semifinal round of the men's tennis competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 30, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.
MARTIN BUREAU / AFP via Getty ImagesIndia's Lalremsiami (top) falls over Ireland's goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran during their women's pool A match of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games field hockey competition, at the Oi Hockey Stadium in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.
SHINJI AKAGI / JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty ImagesAustralia's starting players, at right, look at British players kneeing prior to start the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games women's quarter-final football match between Britain and Australia at Ibaraki Kashima Stadium on July 30, 2021.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiDavid Kendziera rides in the Fourth of July parade, July 4, 2021 in Mount Prospect.
MOHD RASFAN / AFP via Getty ImagesItaly's Marco Fichera argues with the referee after the match against Russia's Sergey Bida in the men's épée team quarter-final bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba City, Japan, on July 30, 2021.
ANTONIN THUILLIER / AFP via Getty ImagesJamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, right, crosses the finish line to win ahead of second-placed Switzerland's Ajla Del Ponte, third-placed Nigeria's Nzubechi Grace Nwokocha and Gambia's Gina Bass in the women's 100m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.
MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP via Getty ImagesBrazil's pivot Rogerio Moraes, center, shoots to score past Argentina's goalkeeper Juan Manuel Bar during the men's preliminary round group A handball match between Argentina and Brazil of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Yoyogi National Stadium in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.
Matthias Schrader / APMohamed Tindouft, of Morocco, falls during his heat of the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 30, 2021, in Tokyo.
BEN STANSALL / AFP via Getty ImagesUkraine's Mykyta Nesterenko competes in the men's discus throw qualification during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.
LUIS ROBAYO / AFP via Getty ImagesIreland's Aidan Walsh (red) celebrates after winning against Mauritius' Merven Clair after their men's welter (63-69kg) quarter-final boxing match during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.
OLI SCARFF / AFP via Getty ImagesRussia's Evgeny Rylov, wearing a face covering, poses with their gold medal after the final of the men's 200m backstroke swimming event during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Tokyo Aquatics Center in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.
KAZUHIRO FUJIHARA / AFP via Getty ImagesDominican Republic's right fielder Julio Rodríguez, right, collides second baseman Gustavo Nunez while catching a pop fly by Mexico's Ramiro Pena during the third inning of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games baseball opening round group A game between Mexico and the Dominican Republic at Yokohama Baseball Stadium in Yokohama, Japan, on July 30, 2021.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiDavid Kendziera talks with friends before riding in the Fourth of July parade in Mount Prospect.
JAVIER SORIANO / AFP via Getty ImagesAustralia's Catriona Bisset, center, and Cuba's Rose Mary Almanza, right, compete in the women's 800m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiDavid Kendziera takes a picture with his girlfriend Chelsey Jones before they rode in the Fourth of July parade in Mount Prospect.
Andre Penner / APBrazil's Debinha, left, and Canada's Janine Beckie go for a header during a women's quarterfinal soccer match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 30, 2021, in Rifu, Japan.
ANDREJ ISAKOVIC / AFP via Getty ImagesFrom left, Kenya's Abraham Kibiwot, Ethiopia's Getnet Wale, Italy's Ahmed Abdelwahed compete in the men's 3000m steeplechase heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.
Matthias Schrader / APMary Moraa, of Kenya, prepares for her heat of the women's 800-meters at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 30, 2021, in Tokyo.
INA FASSBENDER / AFP via Getty ImagesAthletes compete in the men's 3000m steeplechase heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiDavid Kendziera missed advancing to the 400-meter hurdles finals on Aug. 1, 2021, at Olympic Stadium during the Tokyo Olympics.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiUSA's David Kendziera finishes his heat of the 400-meter semifinals on Aug. 1, 2021, at Olympic Stadium during the Tokyo Olympics.
FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty ImagesFrance's Teddy Riner, right, and Israel's Or Sasson compete in the judo men's +100kg round of sixteen bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.
ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty ImagesTeam USA's players celebrate their victory in the women's preliminary round pool B volleyball match between the USA and Turkey during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiUSA's David Kendziera runs in the 400-meter semifinals on Aug. 1, 2021, at Olympic Stadium during the Tokyo Olympics.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiDavid Kendziera signs a relay baton before riding in the Fourth of July parade in Mount Prospect.
David Goldman / APA tattoo of the Olympic rings decorates the foot of Jennifer Abel, of Canada, as she prepares to dive in the women's diving 3-meter springboard preliminary at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 30, 2021, in Tokyo.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiDavid Kendziera holds his third-place medal from the 400-meter hurdles he won at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Kendziera, a graduate of Prospect High School and the University of Illinois, will be competing in the 400-meter hurdles at the Olympics in Tokyo.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiDavid Kendziera runs in the 400-meter semifinals on Aug. 1, 2021, at Olympic Stadium during the Tokyo Olympics.
Natacha Pisarenko / APXueying Zhu, of China, performs in the women's trampoline gymnastics final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 30, 2021, in Tokyo.
Felipe Dana / APMirco Gerson, of Switzerland, dives for the ball during a men's beach volleyball match against Italy at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 30, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan.
Jae C. Hong / APShun Wang, of China, celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 200-meter individual medley final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 30, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
JAVIER SORIANO / AFP via Getty ImagesIvory Coast's Marie-Josee Ta Lou reacts as she wins her race in the women's 100m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo on July 30, 2021.
Brian Cassella / baiduhaiOlympian David Kendziera tosses candy while riding in the Fourth of July parade in Mount Prospect. A photo of Kendziera with his coach Adrian Wheatley is on the back of the car.
Brian Cassella / baiduhai
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David Kendziera rides in the Fourth of July parade in Mount Prospect. Kendziera, a graduate of Prospect High School and the University of Illinois, will be competing in the 400-meter hurdles at the Olympics in Tokyo.
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By Stacy St. Clair | [email protected] | baiduhai
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
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American hurdler David Kendziera advanced to the 400-meter hurdles semifinal in his Olympic debut Friday.
Kendziera, a Mount Prospect native, secured the spot by finishing fourth in his qualifying heat. He crossed the finish line in 49.23 seconds, posting the 17th fastest time of the day.
Abderrahman Samba of Qatar was the day’s fastest hurdler, finishing the race in 48.38 seconds. American hurdlers Rai Benjamin and Kenneth Selmon also advanced to the semifinal.
Kendziera, a 10-time NCAA All-American at the University of Illinois, will race again Sunday in Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium.
Southern Illinois grad Raven Saunders qualified for the women’s shot put final with the third best performance in the qualifying rounds. Saunders’ throw measured 19.22 meters, which easily met the standard for automatic advancement. The final is Sunday.
“I feel really good,” she said. “I feel absolutely amazing. I’ve been preparing myself for pretty much a dog fight, a battle, maybe one of the greatest shot put competitions of all time, so I’m really ready. I’m really focused. I’m ready to get it and compete against really great athletes.”
In other qualifying rounds Friday, Tori Franklin of Westmont failed to advance to the triple jump final. Her best jumped measured 13.68 meters, leaving her in 13th place in her group and bringing a quick end to her Olympic debut.
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