Kent State alums prepare to compete in Rio

William+Barnes+competes+against+Akron+in+the+200+meter+dash+on+Jan.+22%2C+2016+at+the+Kent+Fieldhouse.+Barnes+placed+first+in+the+event.

William Barnes competes against Akron in the 200 meter dash on Jan. 22, 2016 at the Kent Fieldhouse. Barnes placed first in the event.

Stephen Means

Kent State athletes Will Barnes and Danniel Thomas are set to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, Brazil.

Barnes, who will compete for Puerto Rico, recently took first place in the 100-meter hurdles at the 016 North American, Central American and Caribbean Athletics Association U23 Championships in El Salvador.

His time was 13.58 seconds. The race was his last before competing in next month’s Olympics.

Thomas, representing Jamaica, won the Jamaican national championship earlier this month with a throw of 16.84 in the shot put. Thomas originally qualified for the Rio games in 2015. 

The 2016 Olympics kick off on Friday, Aug. 5.

Qualifying rounds for women’s shot put will begin on Friday, Aug. 12, at 10:05 a.m.

Qualifying rounds for the men’s 110m hurdles start Monday, Aug. 15, at 7:20 p.m. 

Contact Stephen Means at [email protected].